Replies

1. 
   AZMO | Mar 16, 2009 06:50am | #1

   Welcome in,

   Sounds like a lot of machinery to make a reed, but what do I know....{grin} Easy to get some advice around here, just don't ask about shellac and you will do just fine.

   Morgan

                     

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   -------(*)/ (*)   http://www.EarthArtLandscape.com

2. 
   roc | Mar 16, 2009 07:05am | #2

   Welcome Charles !

   Thanks for saying howdy. Hope the support of the Arts continues through the tough times.

   >an oboist and professional symphony musician<

   I just bought a new stereo for my shop. My main criteria was how it reproduced classical music. For wood working I listen to many styles of music but after a bit I gravitate back to my Corelli, Vivaldi, Telemann, Stauss Jr., Pachelbel, Mozart . . .

   What a luxury !

   I am curious what kind of audio equipment you listen to in your home and shop. Any dos and don'ts? What do you think of powered sub woofers connected to a stereo system for accurate reproduction of symphony music; is this worth doing or does it end up being a problem? I am considering adding this later.

   roc

   Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

1. 
   roc | May 10, 2009 10:48pm | #10

   >powered sub woofer connected to a stereo system for accurate reproduction of symphony music; is this worth doingI took the plunge and am pleased. This is what I got:http://www.amazon.com/Boston-Acoustics-Horizon-HPS12HO-Subwoofer/dp/B000W9GL02/ref=rsl_mainw_dpl?ie=UTF8&m=AHF4SYKP09WBHplease note in white it is way, way bucks off. Five stars in the reviews. Works great for me.For rock and pop I find the droning constant base to be kind of obnoxious like the kids with the boom boom cars but with the dynamics of symphony music etc. ( intermittent and judicious use of base ) it makes you feel like you are in the hall and can feel the kettles and big bases etc.By the way my whole system, receiver/big speakers/sub and doc cost about the same as this which was what I was considering first :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TzvgDr4G6E&NR=1Doesn't look as cool though. Sure pays to shop and look into every alternative. Can still get iPhone interference noise. Put iPhone in airport mode to stop it or just use an iPod or your laptop which is what I usually do.Three hundred watts of subwoofer. that is close to a half a horse power ! AND it has a power take off shaft to run you garden branch chipper attachment.Just kidding.rocGive me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

   Edited 5/10/2009 6:04 pm by roc

1. 
   roc | May 12, 2009 05:45am | #11

   I was wondering how much of a magnetic field the woofer put out so I tied a very light spring to a thread so it could rotate like a compass needle. I dangled the "indicator" over the sub woof speaker and found that the field would strongly control the indicator ( make it align with the center line of the speaker ) from more than twelve inches away on any side of the speaker cabinet and have some slight effect a foot and a half from the cabinet !Probably don't want to get your laptop any where near this monster.rocGive me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

   Edited 5/11/2009 10:50 pm by roc

1. 
   davcefai | May 12, 2009 07:56pm | #12

   And while we're at it, NEVER place any speakers on top of a CRT monitor. You'll often get away with it but sometimes (or some time) the mask will become magnetised. When that happens you either learn to love pastel colours or put off buying your next tool :-(

3. 
   forestgirl | Mar 16, 2009 07:23pm | #3

   Welcome, Charles!  I'm fascinated by the fact that you make your own reeds.  Glad I didn't have to do that in my clarinet days, don't think I would have made First Chair, LOL.  Seriously, though, that interesting.  What do you strive for in the making that commercial suppliers obviously fail at??

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   
4. 
   James R. | Mar 16, 2009 09:57pm | #4

   Welcome Charles:

   I too would like to know about how you make your reeds and what you use to make them.
   As a not so frequent user of this forum I will say that when I do need help or have a question related to woodworking, no politics or personal problems, this is the first place I go. The frequent responders of this forum are knowledgeable and friendly. I find their willingness to help and their patience amazing. I also follow Knots just to be informed and to learn about the woodworking problems others may need help with. It's like taking a really informative class. You would be hard pressed to find a better group of helpful people.

   By the way, I listen to Maria Callas and or jazz while I work.

   James R.

   
   

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   Edited 3/16/2009 2:58 pm ET by James R.

1. 
   AL800 | Mar 16, 2009 11:46pm | #5

   Greetings:

   In response to those who have asked questions about my musical profession;

   All professional oboists and bassoonists make their own reeds.  First it is much cheaper to make your own as we go through hundreds per year and maybe get 1 or 2 out of a dozen that are decent enough to play.  Second, making ones own reeds is a personal undertaking as each player has his/her own sound that they strive to achieve and personal demands of each reed.  It must have the correct pitch. It has to have the right response. We use different reeds for different works/composers.  Some reeds must be light sounding like in a Haydn Symphony or the Scherzo mvt of the Beethoven 3rd. Some reeds must be able to penetrate a Forte in a Brahms symphony which will require a harder reed and so on. 

   Reeds are made from tube cane (Bamboo) which is grown in southern France.  It is seasoned then split in 3 sections per tube and gouged.  Then it is shaped, tied and scraped.  Here is a link for those who are interested in a visual. 

   http://www.yefchak.com/reed/tools_page.htm#tube_cane

   As for the gentleman who asked me about the sound system I have?  Not near as good as yours I'm sure.  I have  NAD components, Yahama Amp and Phase Technology speakers which are very small but sound magnificient. 

   Hope that does it.  Thanks again for the welcoming and do look forward to your comments and suggestions. 

   Best,

   Charles

1. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Mar 17, 2009 01:25am | #6

   Welcome Charles.. I do believe we have already in-formally met in the veneer question post. You just answered my question about the need for reeds with symphony. Do you know anyone in the Atlanta Symphony? Probably not but.. I thought I would ask anyway.

   You have a host of nice machines in your shop. Good luck with those veneered legs we already discussed. Wise move BTW having the 18" Steel City BS and the 14". I love not having to change a blade when curve cutting as I split time between making templates and re-saw.

   Regards...

   Sarge..

2. 
   ring | Mar 17, 2009 02:32pm | #9

   Charles,I have a good friend who is a professional oboist and I've seen him making his reeds but I never took much interest until now. He's an American expat named Herb, living in Paris. Next time I see him I'll have to find out more about the reed making! Thanks for the info, and welcome.David Ring

   http://www.touchwood.co.il/?lang=e&id=1

5. 
   flairwoodworks | Mar 17, 2009 04:22am | #7

   Charles,

   I have a friend who makes Native American Flutes. She used to have a shop that was described as a closet. Sounds like your shop is a little larger than that!

   Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
   (soon to be www.flairwoodworks.com)

    - Success is not the key to happiness.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

6. 
   WillGeorge | Mar 17, 2009 04:32am | #8

   Veneered Reeds?

   Just pokin' fun at you.

   Old Tin eared man here that knows nothing about music except what I like to listen to.

   I love the Obo and Kettel drums! Violin but can only hear half of what they can sound.... And,,, I am not above hearing some old Didgeridoo.. And some very old 'slide' Blues Guitar.

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFGvNxBqYFI

   My two China Dolls LOVE their Piano. They are 5 and 6 and they never fuss when their Mom tells them it is time for music practice. They think it is FUN! I hope they do forever. I have many skills but NOT Music or Art....

   Have fun with your Woodworking AND ALWAYS KEEP them nimble fingers safe!

   EDIT: AND they can read some of, but not all of the Notes. In fact, when I babysit (every day for the 4 year old. No School yet) she asks me to play with her. I go outside with a ball and she sits by the old piano my wife played a bit..

   God I love little girls! Had four of my own! Or was that three and my Son?

    

   
   

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   Edited 3/16/2009 9:40 pm by WillGeorge