Author: huboboe
Date: 2014-12-07 02:31
Mike, when I say 'ideally at the top of the tube' I was speaking generally. There is a bit of leeway, but think of it this way:
The proper tie length (which will vary depending on the shape and on the diameter of the top of the tube) is when the cane closes evenly one turn before the top of the tube. That last turn on slightly wider cane than the turn before will snug up the sides firmly without crushing the cane and springing open the sides further up.
Until that penultimate turn which closes the sides, the top of the tube is visible on the open sides. You will be able to gage correctly whether there remains just 2 turns or whether you need to adjust your wrap length.
If you wrap even a half turn beyond the top of the staple you will kill the reed's vibration. You can demonstrate this with a thin metal 6" ruler: hold the ruler at the square edge if your bench top and twang it. If you clamp it with your fingers back from the edge, it will rattle against the bench edge. If you clamp it at the edge, it will vibrate freely. if you extend your finger just beyond the bench edge, the rule will just go thud and not vibrate.
All my tubes are the same dimension and I always use the same shape (a Brannen X), so my wrap length is fixed and I use a sharp pencil to mark the side of the cane before wrapping. After starting to wrap, I check that the cane is on the mark and closing evenly, then pay attention to the closing turn - is it closing evenly? - and to the last turn to be sure I don't wrap past the end, and I cross over and finish.
I can't emphasize enough the importance of consistency. If you have to fool around with each wrap because your tubes are different you will spend a lot of unnecessary time. Better to find out what tubes work best for you and invest in a couple of dozen new ones which all fit your mandrel the same way. Learn what wrap length works, and mark your cane before wrapping and I guarantee You'll be a happier camper.
Regards,
Robert Hubbard
WestwindDoubleReed.com
1-888-579-6020
bob@westwinddoublereed.com
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