MULTI-TOOL
The MULTI-TOOL is a valuable accessory for taking control of your cane selection and inspecting the results of your gouging. This tool contains:
​
The famous "Gouge Point Location Finder"
The Gouge Point Location Finder is used to place points with a mechanical pencil onto the inside surface of a gouged piece of cane. These points are located at 1.0 mm arc-length distances from the center of the gouge and are used to guide your measurements with your micrometer when inspecting your cane.
The GPLF is located at the top of the tool. To use the tool, place the instrument centered on the inside surface of the gouge. The cane should just span the arc of the tool keeping the center line in the middle. Place the tip of a freshly sharpened pencil or mechanical pencil into the small guide lines and let these lines guide the pencil tip onto the surface of the gouged piece of cane. Spin the pencil to leave a DOT on the surface of the cane. You can now use your micrometer to measure these locations consistently.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
If you look carefully at the top of the tool, you will see 3 long lines that have 2 shorter lines between them. The 3 long lines locate the CENTER of the gouge and two points that are BEHIND THE EARS on most shaper tips. This photo shows the tool placed inside a shaped piece of cane and you can see the two outer long lines locating the spot that would be considered "behind the ears". I have found that the measurements at the outside DOTs created by the GPLF tool in the cane are ever so slightly thinner than the measurements taken behind the ears on the piece of cane after it has been shaped. I believe this difference is present because the DOTs are located at the point that would be on the EDGE of the shaped piece of cane while the measurements taken on the actual shaped piece of cane would be more on the gouge surface. The gradient of the taper on the sides of the cane is steep and a slight shift in the measurement location would result in a significant change in thickness. For this reason, I measure the "outside dot" created by the GPLF on the Multi-Tool and then shape the cane to get the actual "Behind the Ears" thickness. I now have the correct pairing that relates the thickness at the OUTSIDE LINE of the GPLF to the actual side thickness of the shape.
The two SHORTER LINES that are on each side of the center LONG LINE help to locate the RIBS of the gouge curve. I measure the location that is BETWEEN the dots created by the two shorter lines. This is an important measurement to know as well. I generally look for the following thicknesses:
​​
Center = 0.60mm
Ribs = 0.55mm to 0.56mm
Behind the Ears = 0.48mm to 0.50mm
​​
Your personal setup with your shaper tip may be different. This tool will keep you on course if you ever decide to experiment.
Radius Gauges at 1/4 mm increments between 10 mm and 11 mm
​
Ruler with engraved reed
The Ruler is designed to help with wrapping the reed for both LEFT and RIGHT-HANDED reedmakers. The reed rests on a foot that forms a point so the Tool will make easy contact between the staple and the mandrel.
The engraved reed is an image of a reed made by John Mack. It is intended to be used as a guide since we know that every reed is unique. This particular reed that was digitized was 69mm in length. Many oboists shoot for 70mm as an optimal length so this image should be used as a study in the relative lengths of the different sections of the reed.