Bob Williams - Bassoon Reeds from Beginning to End
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ก.ค. 2024
- Additional Comments for Reed Making Video
00:42 This is tube cane from Argentina.
00:58 I am spinning the tube against a straight edge to look for the straightest part of the tube to use for the reed.
01:15 First step, find the straightest section and cut to length.This cane saw cuts the tube to the playing length of 120 mm.
01:45 Custom bassoon gouger that thins the cane to a uniform thickness.
02:19 Comparison of gouged and un-gouged cane.
02:30 This stamping pre-shaper cuts cane 2 mm wider then the finished shape.
03:02 The finish shaper machines four pieces of cane at a time.
04:14 Sides of cane are sanded before profiling to remove fibers from the shaping process.
04:30 Cane is profiled one side at a time for a very consistent profile.
05:10 This is a very important step. I use a 1 in plastic dowel, to sand the finished gouged surface. Sanding the inside of the cane smooths out wood fibers that swell when the cane is first put in the water. I use 40, 20, and 9 micron 3M Microfinishing sand paper.
07:26 Beveling the cane helps the tip of the reed stay open and adds strength to the reed to help support weaker notes like the C# and E in the staff. It also helps to seal the reed tube.
08:30 Scoring the cane at the back of the tube helps to round the tube and keep cracks from forming above the first wire when forming the tube.
09:05 It is critical to make sure the collars line up so the reed will be balanced in strength on both sides.
09:20 The first wire is placed 26 mm above the back of the reed measuring from the bottom of the wire. The second wire is placed 8 mm below the first wire.
11:00 Heat the forming mandrel with the alcohol lamp!
11:32 Brass wire cuts are very painful!
12:50 If the cane has been beveled the sides will not come together when the forming mandrel is fully inserted in the reed. Pull the reed back from the shoulder about 2mm, and tighten the wires to get the tube sides to close properly. Un-beveled cane will close when fully inserted.
13:40 Let blank dry completely and then re-tighten all three wires. Stretch the wire and then tighten.
14:35 Reheating the hot glue with the alcohol lamp makes it easier to spread the glue in front of the “ball”.
15:15 Dipping the hot glued reed in ice water will prevent the glue from sagging.
18:30 Mindy Acosta, a flutist, is photographing this video!
20:42 9 micron 3M Microfinishing Sand Paper
This photograph shows the various steps required to make a reed. In the center is a cane tube from the plantation, and one cut to the proper length. At 10:30 o’clock shows the tube split in 4 pieces. At 12 o’clock is gouged cane. Moving clockwise is rough shaped, then finished shaped, profiled, folded and wired, reed blanks, and finished reeds.
More information is available at www.womblewilliams.net
You have made the best video I have seen so far in my life concerning the construction of the reed.
Thank you. I played the bassoon in high school (50+ years ago) and loved it. They were trying plastic reeds back them. I never liked the plastic ones. Fun video.
Fascinating! All those years hanging out with bassoonists, I’ve never seen their full reed making process!
Excellent video! It's great to see your innovative cane processing in action!
Thanks for the video. I used to make my bassoon reeds from shaped cane back in college. Of course, as a busy student, I used heat-shrink tubing instead of glue and thread.
Great Video- congratulations on your 46 years years!
Wow! I am teaching myself on bassoon. I play oboe and English horn and make reeds for them. This is a very different process!
I'm certain you won't remember me from the Music Academy of the West 1971 as a fellow bassoonist but I can still recall the beginning solo from the Rite of Spring you played. It was perfection. Do you still have that VW bug stored in a garage somewhere?
Bob this is AWESOME!!! I need to ask Santa for some cooler tools! Nice to see you!
Excellent! Bravo
Hello. Very good information and tutorial! Could you tell me where you bought, or what brand is the profiling machine? All the best
excellent video! I am appreciate !!
Which brand is your profiling machine?
It seems you have updated the Stevens machines into the 21st century. I have a hand crank gouger of Bob's. It was broken down and Bob just gave it to me. (I fixed it and use it still) Bob's profiler was also automatic in operation. I am not sure if there is a reason for this...maybe to prevent scorching of the cane. My copy is manually operated. I can go a little faster than your or Bob's old machine. I have never have trouble with burning or scorching the cane. I do have a little trouble with the shaping. Once in a while I will burn a bit mostly at the butt probably because I don't trim the cane at all. I use flat profilers and a trim bit with two bearings on a router table. I tried using one bearing and my profilers show the scars of learning how to do it. I have used the barrel on rod technique to make a profiler and am applying for a patent based on new art. It is for the bassoonist that doesn't want to use primitive machines which require blending the sides into the heart of the reed. It will do both bassoon & contra reeds.(available at Forrest's Music) Ii am using a razor blade inserted into a barrel to bevel. I have a machine to do 4 scores. Need to make one for contra. I made a hogger to pregouge cane. I have also gotten very good at using Bob's wire twisting pliers. Here are some of my machines in action. th-cam.com/video/P0ndWvEFMh0/w-d-xo.html
Do you make a version of the beveling jig? I have been trouble getting your website to load.
@@BlakleyBassoon It is very simple to make my beveling tool. Using a band saw cut an aluminum tube about 6 inches long the diameter of your gouge about an inch or so on one end and force a razor blade in the cut so the sharp side of the blade and butt of the tube are flush. The cut must be precisely centered. Draw your cane along the blade to get your bevel. A little practice is needed. Your forefinger on the end of the tube is your stop. The blade can not protrude beyond the butt of the tube.
Forty-six years? Wow! Congratulations. This is a fascinating process to watch. Those machines are amazing. Unfortunately, I had to stop watching early on because of the camera focus problem. Maybe next time.
Mar.6/2023_@00:12-00:27_your background music is too present, the voice without closed caption would be useless. But hey who cares.