Making Bagpipes by Casey Burns

Bagpipe making and general wind instrument turning has been evolving for several hundreds of years and continues to evolve to this day. This essay presents an outline of my method of making bagpipes, as well as a few reflections on other methods. This craft generally requires lathe work - experience at the lathe helps but is not entirely necessary! I enjoyed my first experiences at a lathe turning with my first instrument. I later humbly found out that my turning skills left alot to be desired after spending a precious month with a master wood turner who was learning wind instrument making from me. Therefore, I highly recommend that the novice bagpipe maker contact the American Association of Woodturners and make their acquaintance! Their local chapters conduct workshops and meetings where excellent information on woodturning may be obtained, as well as direct contact with some of the living masters of woodturning. The AAW may be contacted at c/o Mary Redig 667 Harriet Ave. Shoreview MN 55126. I will begin by describing the materials and tooling needed, followed by a discussion on dimensions and drawings. Then I will delve into actual construction, beginning with the bore, followed by outside turning. Then I will describe how I drill tone holes. Final setup and tuning and voicing will finish the construction part. Finally, I discuss some general aspects of wind instrument making.