Reed Making

Making the Drone Reed

1. Unlike the chanter reed, the making of the drone reed is relatively simple and with few tools involved.
2. Taking the raw cane as it comes, the first step is to inspect and discard any split,and/or distorted cane. The best cane is straight and light in color with a hard outer skin. If you are able to heavily indent the outer shell of the cane with your fingernail, then the cane is too soft and unlikely to make a good reed. Similarly, if the cane is bent, this should also be discarded as the tongue will be "sprung".
3. Most of the cane will come oversize in length and have a small "coronet" just beyond the knuckle line. The knuckle line is usually a shade or two darker than the remainder of the cane. This "coronet should be removed to within about 1/16" above the knuckle line. Do this before cutting the reed to the required length.
4. Cut the reed to a specified length of 3 -3/4" for tenor reeds and 4 1/2" for bass reeds. Clean the inside of the cane with a 6" long X 1/8" round fine cut file. You will find a quantity of loose fluff and fibers inside that may serve to stop the reed from operating.
5. Using a hand held pencil sharpener, lightly remove some of the sharp edge left by the saw in operation 3.
6. The next step is to affix the bridle. This can be achieved in a number of ways but it has been found that to use 4 turns of heavily resined hemp in a series of loops is best. The hemp should be kept taut at all times. Measuring from the open end of the reed, place the bridle firmly in the prescribed manner at a point 1 1/4" for tenor reeds and 1 1/2" for bass reeds.
7. It should be noted that there is a small "pip" just below the knuckle line on the reed. Placing the reed in the groove on the prepared 30 degree block, gently pull the handle of the drone reed jig down to a position 1/4" below the "pip". Applying a steady pressure, the cutting blade should be permitted to enter the cane approximately 3/32". Having cut to the proper depth, the handle should be gently released. This action, if done properly, should take the cane out of the groove and remain stuck on the cutting blade.
   Grasping the reed by the open end and snapping the wrist downward smartly should cause the cane to split down each side as far as the bridle. If the bridle is good the splitting should finish at that point. Discard the reed if this is to the contrary.
   DO NOT attempt to cut or make the tongue by any other means.
8. If all has gone well so far, it is time to nick a small notch at the same place but not as wide as the cut made in operation 7 above. The purpose of this nick is to permit the tongue to vibrate and not get caught up on the opposing face of the cut.
9. The cleaning of the inside of the reed is achieved by holding the reed by both ends between the thumb and little finger with the palm of the hand open. Placing the nail of your index finger under the edge of the tongue will bend the tongue open sufficiently to give access for the small knife.
10. Using the small file again, remove the debris from the inside of the reed.
11. A good tip at this point is not to take too inch wood off! Try to blow the reed at variousof cleaning to see if it works. If so, don't mess further than you have to!
12. With great care not to split, cut, or otherwise disturb the outer edges of the tongue bed, gently remove the pappy like inside of the tongue to create a knife edge. Do likewise to the main body of the reed tongue bed. The same applies to the inside front of the tongue where the original cut was made. It will be impossible to clean all the way back to the bridle and you should not attempt to do so. The n least strain applied to the tongue during the cleaning process the better.
13. Your reed should now sound! If not, then (a) the knuckle end leaks, (b) the reed tongue or bed has been damaged, or (c) you didn't do a good job of cleaning. Check all three.
14. Assuming that we now have a good sounding reed the time has come to finish off.
15. During the course of making the reed, the knuckle end may n have got a little grubby. Before proceeding further, use the pencil sharpener! to clean the closed end of the reed just enough to make it attractive.
    Melting a small piece of sealing wax into a heated foil dish, dip the end of the reed into the molten wax and immediately turn the reed up on end for the wax to harden as a round cap. The wax should not be allowed to flow beyond the edges cleaned by the pencil sharpener.
    This method does a much more efficient and attractive job than trying to apply with a dripping wax stick.
16. After the wax is hardened, use a small piece of fine sandpaper to roughen the last 1/2" of cane on the outside of the open end. This is in preparation for wrapping the hemp around the bottom of the reed to ensure a proper seal in the bowl of the drone seat.
17. It is always a good idea to use the cobblers wax on the first few inches of the hemp to allow a good start to the wrapping.
18. There are a variety of ways to apply the hemp and more success will be met by applying a light coating of resin along the entire length of the hemp. The main benefits of this practice is that it will lessen the chances of the hemp becoming loose and will prevent the reed from falling into the bag.
    Starting with a short length laid along the reed, make the first turn about 1/2" from the open end and cover the short laid length progressively until you come within an 1/8" from the end. Securely tie off the end by double looping the hemp. The resin previously applied will prove sufficient to hold this and obviate unsightly knots.
19. The foregoing has given an insight in the making of a single reed. Obviously, it would be better to make a number of reeds at each stage to speed things up.
20. The following sketches and notes will give a better understanding of the subject but there is no substitute for experience.