Guide to Bassoon Reed Making
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Guide to Bassoon Reed Making February 13, 2021 Bassoon Professor Elizabeth Low-Atwater [email protected] 1 Arundo Donax From the Wikipedia Page: Arundo donax, giant cane, is a tall perennial cane. It is one of several so-called reed species. It has several names including carrizo, arundo, Spanish cane, Colorado river reed, wild cane, and giant reed. Arundo donax grows in damp soils, either fresh or moderately saline, and is native to the Mediterranean Basin and Middle East, and probably also parts of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. Tube Cane Cane is selected based on its diameter thickness of 24-26mm and is measured with a caliper tool. After cut to the correct lengths, the cane then sits for an average of 1 to 2 years to cure. 2 Steps from Cane to Finished Reed There are essentially six stages of the reed making process. We will dive into each of the steps specifically but laid out they are: 1. Gouged 2. Shaped 3. Profiled 4. Formed Tube (Cocoons) 5. Blank: Wired/Sealed/Turbaned 6. Finished Reed: Cut tip & Scraped 3 Split and Gouged Cane From the tube cane, it is then split into 3 to 4 pieces soaked overnight, and taken through a pre-gouger and gouger to remove the inside soft parts of the cane. Pre Gouger Gouger Shaping In this process, the gouged piece of cane is soaked for 2-3 hours then placed into a straight shaper. The metal shaper helps act as a guide to cut out the given shape. This is done with a ceramic knife, x-acto knife, and a diamond file. There are many different types of shapers that vary in the width and are measured at the tip, middle (narrowest point), and the end. The shape shown below is the H Bell Shaper. 4 Profiling After shaping, the cane is then run through the final piece of machinery to carve off the outer layer of bark from the edge to the tip or the center fold line of the reed. It will eventually stop when it hits the thickness determined by the guiding metal plate. Once one side is done, the barrel with the cane is flipped and the other side is then scraped in the same fashion to create a mirror image on the other side. After, the piece of cane is then set to rest and dry out for a few days. 5 Forming the Tube to make the Cane Cocoons FIRST STAGE: Prepping the Cane [Tools Needed: water kettle, towel, easel, ruler with 32nds of inches marked, pencil, x-acto knife, sand paper, end nippers, and cotton string] *please note: because it will be folded in half to create a mirror image of each side of the reed, be sure do these steps on both bark portions of the cane. 1. Place cane into a bowl or jar and pour boiling water into it. This will then sit and soak in this water to cool for 3-4 hours or until all the cane has sunk to the bottom of container. 2. Take out a piece of cane and dry it with a towel 3. Taking a ruler and pencil, place the cane on the easel- measure and mark out 3/32nds from the throat. From that first line, measure and mark out 1 inch. Then measure 10/32nds from the top line and bottom line.* 4. Take the x-acto knife, score over the pencil lines to deepen the markings.* 5. With the end nippers, cut off the last portion of each side of the cane from the 4th end line. This will make sure the tube is the same length when folded.* 6. Bevel the four corner rails of cane. Lay a piece of sandpaper down on an elevated flat surface and hold the cane on its side corner at a 45 degree angle to sand off a 6 little bit of the sides. This will help when forming that the sides will join flat together in the round and create tension from the back to keeping an open tip.* unbeveled 45 degree angle sandpaper it off beveled! 7. From the throat to the end of each side, score the bark with the x-acto knife. This is a crucial stage as the bark will not stretch when being formed into the tube and therefore crack the blade of your reed if not scored properly.* 8. Using the straight edge of the ruler, fold the center of the cane. 9. Wrap the cotton string tightly around to “cocoon” the reed. Starting around the throat, tightly wrap twice creating an x to ensure that the blade won’t crack. (A) Work the wrapping all the way towards the end of the reed, making sure to leave a bit of space at the bottom as it will stretch when being formed. (B) Make your way back up towards the middle of the tube and tie off. (C) (A) (B) (C) 7 SECOND STAGE: Forming the Tube [Tools Needed: gas range stove, water kettle, forming mandrel, holding mandrel, pliers, and drying rack] 1. Boil water from kettle and wait until steam is coming out from spout 2. Take the forming mandrel and heat the metal pin in fire while placing the end of the prepped reed held by pliers towards the steam. Hold both in place and count to 30. 3. Insert the heated forming mandrel into the gently opened steamed reed (you should hear a sizzling sound), then take out mandrel nd 4. Repeat #2 & 3 with the holding mandrel, pushing it to the 2 notched line. Take pliers and mold/squish the cane around the mandrel to create its perfect circular shape 5. Place cocoons on a drying rack and allow for 2 weeks to completely dry out 8 Creating the Blank Reed After the long wait, it is finally ready! [Tools & Supplies Needed: pliers, holding mandrel, ruler, pencil, end nippers, wire, cotton crochet thread, duco cement] 1. Unravel the cotton string 2. Wiring the reed: Place the reed on the holding mandrel and wrap 3 pieces of 22 gauge brass wire. Work from bottom to top- wrapping the 3rd wire first, then the 2nd, and last adding the 1st wire. As you wrap the 3rd and 2nd wires, be sure to take your pliers and squish to encourage the cane to join its sides together. This will ensure a perfectly round tube and to keep air from leaking out of the sides. Please refer to the picture below, that the 2nd wire is opposite facing from the 1st and 3rd. Check each wire to make sure it is securely tight and not moving around with your fingers. 9 *How to wrap the wire: ➔ Hold the wire up to the previously scored wire line, secure with thumb having the wire points facing away from you. Be sure to keep track of each end of the wires- this is crucial to ensuring you have a tight wrap around your reed. I have labeled each side with color: right for red and left for blue. ➔ Wrap both ends of the wire around to the back of the reed making the two ends cross. **Be sure that the right side (red) is on top of the left (blue). ➔ Wrap both ends now to the front, still making sure that the right end (red) again crosses on top of the left end (blue). Please look to see that the top wire (red) has maintained its position for the entire wrap and is not recrossing underneath. Also note, the x where the two wires cross now in the front. 10 ➔ At that x crossing point, take your pliers and pinch over it. Pull, and then twist to the right. Continue to pull and twist (not at the same time) to create a tight wrap around the reed. As you pull and twist, make sure to squish the cane to join the two sides together to make a perfectly round tube 3. Using duco cement, add glue from second wire down, leave to dry (2-5 minutes). Again, this will help keep air from leaking out the sides of the reed as you to play it. 4. Wrap turban **How to wrap the turban: Tie around the third wire Wrap around once to secure Wrap 2nd round above 1st Now wrap it under the 1st Keep wrapping to cover wire Wrap to desired size 11 Wrap to cover underneath Wrap to cover on top of the turban Tie off! 5. Cut off the bit of the third wire sticking out of turban and bend it back into the turban to keep from having it poke out. Fold the 2nd wire twist up and the 1st wire twist down. 6. Again with duco cement, completely cover a thick glob of glue over the turban to seal it off. This will harden into a plastic like protective cover. 7. Cut the tip- measure and mark 27mm from the throat and use end nippers to cut. Before cutting, be sure to check both sides to make sure you are cutting straight across. 12 Finishing the Reed: Scraping & Adjusting The First Scrape 1. Tip: Use a straight blade knife, or sandpaper- should be fairly thin for a good response 2. Wings: Using a straight blade knife and diamond triangle file, define the pyramid tip at the top. Make sure it thins out away from the thicker heart towards the corners of reed 3. Channels: Scrape all the way from the back, up through the wings with a curved blade knife 4.