Reed Making 101 by Rebecca Rivera

1
Reed Making 101 by Rebecca Rivera

• There are a number of successful ways to make
  bassoon reeds. This presentation describes the
  process that works best for me.

2
Tools All the tools listed below with a () and
a hyperlink have been hand picked by me as being
the exact tool that is needed for the reed making
process. Other items I suggest have been given a
hyperlink for convenience.

• Specialty Items
• Reed Knife Swiss Army Grafter
• Mandrel
• Brass/Steel forming mandrel tips (long)
• Pin Vise Mandrel
• Translucent reed plaque
• Transparent Easel
• Ruler (millimeters)
• Drying Rack-make your own
• Art Store/Craft Store Items
• Crochet Thread
• Rubber bands

• Hardware Store items
• Duco cement
• 22 gauge wire (RW-6)
• End nippers (wire cutter)
• Pliers (RP)
• Xacto knife
• Cotton string
• Sand paper wet/dry(220b)
• Additional items
• Tea pot (for steam)
• Heat source

3
Bassoon Cane

• Reeds for woodwind musical instruments are made
  from arundo donax culms
• Its utilization in the creation of music can be
  traced back 5,000 years
• Arundo Donax The Source of Natural woodwind Reed
  
• by Marilyn S. Veselack

4
Gouging, Profiling and Shaping

• Once the cane has been cut into quarters and
  soaked
• Gouge take extra cane off from the inside.
• Methodology for Hand gouging Bassoon Cane
  by Charles Koster
• Profile removing the bark from the cane.
• Shape shape the cane into the width and length
  you prefer.
• The main focus of this presentation is on
  pre-forming, forming and scraping.

5
Pre-forming take cane which is gouged, profiled
and shaped.

• Cane gouged, shaped and profiled.
• Lightly sand cane on both sides.
• Put the cane flat on your easel and secure on one
  end with a rubber band. Make marks on your tube
  with an xacto knife and a pencil to these
  measurements.
• A. First wire marking at 3/32 from collar
• B. The tube should be 1 inch from the first wire
  to the back of the tube.
• C. Third wire mark is 10/32 from the back of the
  tube.
• D. Second wire is 10/32 from the first wire.
• Score the cane with your xacto knife by making
  horizontal lines in the cane from the collar to
  the back of tube. This prevents the cane from
  cracking when you form the reed. 

6
Forming

• Soak the cane for a few hours in very hot water.
• Fold the cane in half.
• Bevel both ends of the cane with sandpaper or an
  xacto knife to approximately a 45 degree angle.
• Wrap the cane in cotton string.
• Boil water in a teapot and hold reed over steam.
• Heat forming mandrel over fire for 30-60 seconds.
• Insert the forming mandrel into the back of the
  reed (still over steam).
• Then insert your regular mandrel into the back of
  the reed
• Use your pliers to form the reed to the mandrel
  by squeezing gently around the back third of the
  tube.
• Place the reed on the drying rack.
• Let the reed dry for approximately one or two
  weeks.

• Add the wires bottom up third, second and first.
• Gently squeeze with the pliers from third wire to
  the back of the tube and create a perfect circle.
• Apply duco cement from second wire to the back of
  the tube.
• Wrap the reed in a turban using crochet thread
  and then apply duco cement over the turban.
• With your ruler measure 27mm from the collar.
• Cut off tip.
• Voila! Now you have a reed blank.

7
Scraping

• Good Luck!
• Below is a link which has great information on
  balancing a reed.
• REED SCRAPING