Form the reed, form, form the reed...

There are 3 methods to forming reeds.  They are:

1) The steam method

2) The heated mandrel method

3) THE DO NOTHING METHOD!

In the steam method, you boil water and hold the reed over the steam before placing it on the mandrel and in the do nothing method you simply do nothing and place the reed on the mandrel.  WE used the heated mandrel method which involves using a creme brûlée torch on the mandrel before placing the reed on it.  Make sure the reed is wet if you use this method because otherwise the mandrel will burn the reed and cause it to become unusable.  

The first step is marking the reed on both ends for where to place the wires.

1) Measure 28 mm from the bottom for the collar mark.

2) Measure 26 mm from the bottom of each end of the reed for the first wire. 

3) Measure 18 mm from the bottom for the second wire.

4) Measure 6-7 mm from the bottom for the third wire.  

Next you score the reed.  Using a scoring tool (basically just 8-9 razor blades bolted together) make scratches down from the first wire line to the bottom on both sides.

After scoring, you cut the collar.  Cut into the collar lines already drawn using the razor blade (our weapon of choice).  Make sure it is deep enough to make a solid line, but not so deep that you cut all the way through it.  Then you finish profiling down to the collar lines using the razor blade.  Try not to take off too much or go beyond the collar line (if you made the cut deep enough, it should stop the blade at that point).

Next is WIRE!  Use brass wire (gauge 20-22).  Line up the wire with the first wire line with the wire behind the reed.  Bring the right side of the wire around the reed and then the left side, underneath of the right side.  Then you take pliers and pull, tighten, and twist.  

Wrap some butcher's twine around the reed and wet them both.  You can use pliers to keep this in place during the next step.

The next step is heating the mandrel with the torch. About 30 seconds should be enough.

Once you place the reed on the mandrel, you must mash each side around the mandrel, below the second wire line.  Above the second wire line, only mash the front and back so that the reed goes from round to flat.

 After this, you can remove the butcher's twine and put on the second and third wires, using the same technique as before.  The only difference is with the second wire, which should be opposite the first and third wires with the twisted wires being on the front.