Moisture control systems

Leading on from another thread I thought we could discuss the various types on offer.

Pros, Cons, design good/bad, improvements you think would improve systems already in use or little modifications you've made to systems that made them work better or just had da scrap:affraid: 'cause ya knackered 'em:( :(

Fire away folks, don't be shy...............;)

well i am using the new bannatyne system. If there is a critisism at all it would be that the canister is a bit heavy and kinda pushes the bag from under the arm, but i acn play for ages with no moisture problem !!!!

Must be no slabbers on here then....everyone blows bone dry?.............. , com' on........Iwas one a the biggest doubters.

More comments please.

I don't use anything and never suffer any major problems unless it's a very long day or I'm going from inside to outside like at Hogmany or Armistice. I probably don't practice enough to need a moisture control system. (hangs head in shame)

I do think I'm a fairly dry blower anyway.

I have used various tube traps with wee bottles on them but none were to my liking. I prefer a nice free and easy airflow in my pipe.

I am very happy with the Gannaway system. I also use a Moose Valve, but I still had moisture build up on my drone reeds after a couple of days of practice. I went to that system, now things are pretty good unless I forget to swap out the cannister for a few days. During the high humidity summer months I cut off some of the precannister air to the chanter reed. Now we are in cooler and dryer weather, I have it full open again. My chanter reed is going on 7 months old and playing strong. Tunes right in every time. No sign of the dreaded black mold on the reed either.:D

The only draw back is I am using the Gannaway bag with the collars, and it did pull the blowstick up. I have played around with it, and angled it in the collar, it is better now. :D

I'm still playing the same Ross zipper bag I fitted ten years ago. I've changed the hoses two or three times. That's all.
After every session I leave my bag zip wide open and the bag cover zip too to let the air get into the bag. That's the secret.

The result is that my pipes are singing all the time. I know exactly how the drones and chanter are going to behave every time I play them. I do think from time to time of trying new types of bag or drying system but in the end.. naahhhh...
I've already got the sound I want.
If it aint broken, don't fix it!

Cheers Chris, same set up 'n line a thoughts I have on the system.

The only draw back I seem to have is the size of the box/canister. Mine has a tendency to move every now and again, repositioning it is a pain, once positioned though it is practically unnoticeable in the bag once it's inflated.

How ever the tendency to alter position has caught me out at times ie:- cut off's, the box seems to have a mind of it's own 'n twist side ways. This means whilst depressing the bag for your cut off my arm is actually pressing on the canister at the vital stage resulting in a partially filled bag, any tips on securing the canister in-place m8?

Had thought on using small dub-lie clips just above the top lid on the hoses so they don't twist?....any thoughts Chris / anyone.

I use the Ross set up as well, have no problems with it at all.

Couple of points tho', you need to knock the corners of the canister and the hose fitting with a file, thoses sharp corners could destroy your bag.

I use a wee bit of duct tape around the hoses where they connect, and canister stays upright with no problems.

Don't use the chanter hose, as a chanter reed needs moisture, use the chanter fitting on your blowstick and run a clear 19mm hose to the back of the bag, longer for wet blowers, shorter for dry blowers, start long and shorten with a stanley knife till you get a wee bead of moisture on the reed seat after about 45 mins playing.

Thisgives nice stable chanter sound.

Always open the bag after you play, and leave the pipe box open too!!!!

Everything dries out and gives no trouble

Thats for a UK climate, somebody in a more humid climate will have to experiment a bit, or move to the UK haha

Cheers

Forgot to add,

I use drone valves as well, makes stopping a gift, especially for the quick stops an reels and jigs

Cheers

Cheers m8, need da see yer set up some time, funny thing is our outfit have the hose connected da the chanter?, my thoughts are the same as yours regarding this part, but it seems da work fer us m8.

Will check out my hoses, maybe need unravelled / shortened or some daft thing simple like that.

Thanks fer the tip, this oul dinosaur never used these ultra modern set up's before hahaha.

BTW, that H/Pipe Full Force............belter m8. Cheers.

Same for me, these new fangled things!! lol

Moisture management is vital, we did some serious hacking over the 12th holidays, hoses and chanters, sound sorted and stable after Bangor.

We did lose a player over it, but we were proved right in the end, especially as we are chasing a very clear sound.

Gives real clarity and lets the playing out

Cheers

Gordy m8, maybe StevieB 'n I could meet up some Sat' fer a pint 'n a good ole chat? what ya think?

Redneck wrote:Gordy m8, maybe StevieB 'n I could meet up some Sat' fer a pint 'n a good ole chat? what ya think?

No problems, would enjoy that,

Not even try to keep up with you 2 animals!¬!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers:Guiness:

Just a wee social one...no a session m8..........

That would be a nice wee evening, organise something with Steve, I'm at band on tuesday and thursday, Friday or Saturday would be ideal

Cheers

Right will do m8.

A simple water trap connected to the blowpipe is all I have ever used.
I have concerns about zipper bags (although I have never had one) in that it is another area where leaks can occur.
Hide bags have a seam but seasoning can easily be worked into this. Can seasoning be easily worked into a zipper bag or do these bags not need to be seasoned?

When my Goretex bag if fully inflated I have "X" amount of air within the bag. If there I had a contraption within the bag to control moisture then would this not reduce the amount of air held within the bag therefore a larger bag would be needed to hold the same amount of air?

Many years of playing with a sheepskin bag had me emptying out the water trap after each "set". Since playing with a Goretex bag I"ve never needed to empty the water trap at all! Something I have not as yet been able to figure out.

Every blower is different, with regards to moisture.

I reckon I am a fairly dry blower, never even needed anything in a hide bag at all. ( which, to be honest is my preference)

The zips in Ross bags have been a problem recently, due to the zip maker putting some sort of lubricant on the zip, and not telling the bag maker, who didn't clean it off, and all of a sudden the bag starts to go at the zip, not the zippy part, but the apron where it is glued together.

I see moisture as no big drama, when playing alone or for the pleasure of it, However it becomes an issue in a band situation.

We have, for example players like me, who get weeks from a Ross canister, although it gets changed more often, and a couple of players in particular who are really wet.

I'm talking reeds with black spots in 7 - 10 days wet, so in a band setting, they are getting more moisture onto the reed, and it is behaving differently to other reeds in the band, problems all over the place at contests,

So the trick is to get the moisture managed so that every reed is as close as possible, not only pitched the same, but behaving the same way, so giving a more stable, sustained sound.

The gubbins in the bag make no difference at all, as it always seemed to me that we had more than enough air anyway, unless as Redneck says above the canister gets lying on its side and you can't get stopped properly .

As for Stormy's water trap, I have no idea at all, apart from him maybe becoming a drier blower as he get older, but will make enquiries

Cheers

stormy wrote: Many years of playing with a sheepskin bag had me emptying out the water trap after each "set". Since playing with a Goretex bag I"ve never needed to empty the water trap at all! Something I have not as yet been able to figure out.

Maybe yer no as big a slabber the noo. , sorry m8, couldn't let that one slip bye now, could a ?.

This is my point Stormy about these synthetic bags though, you like yer Gortex, da me it's crap, just like a balloon under yer arm. No body da it.

You know only too well my feelings regarding the natural bag V's synthetics, TBH a had ma doubts when I first went up to Drumlough regarding this very issue. For once a kept ma gob shut 'n gave it a try.

Glad a did, haven't looked back since, apart from the wee minor thing wi the canister thing. Will try Gordy's advice 'n see if that helps, OR Gordy can come 'n show me how da do it..... M8?

Will get up Stevies B's some night and you can get a look and a toot on mine,

Pipes that is.........lol

[quote="Redneck"]

stormy wrote:This is my point Stormy about these synthetic bags....

A good point for another thread.

[quote="stormy"]

Redneck wrote:

stormy wrote:This is my point Stormy about these synthetic bags....

A good point for another thread.

Go fer it m8. ( ma fingers 'n brain hurts lol.....)

I'm caught i a real quandrey, had a ross system loved then went onto a bannatyne system loved the sound i got with a bit of moisture going onto to my pipe, problem even after drying them takes a lot of fiddling to get the sound back. Don't want to lose the sound but miss the stability. Piping is really great!

@Bondy, what you could do is go back to your Ross system, remove the hose to the chanter and this will let some of the moisture back into your chanter reed, after playing remove the chanter to the chanter stock 'n let it dry out naturally as before.

@Gordy, maybe you could step in here m8, this is how your band's set up is is it not. You could elaborate more than me here as our system is fully hosed up, IMO I'd personally go for the latter, but it seems da work for us........so if it ain't broke ect',.

bondy wrote:I'm caught i a real quandrey, had a ross system loved then went onto a bannatyne system loved the sound i got with a bit of moisture going onto to my pipe, problem even after drying them takes a lot of fiddling to get the sound back. Don't want to lose the sound but miss the stability. Piping is really great!

What Bannatyne system bondy ?? the new version is really good although i have had a couple of problems with the cups splitting on the bottom of the mouthpiece stock !!!