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Mouthpieces Syos Design Contest for Mouthpiece (and printed reeds question)

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I got an email today from Syos (the 3D printed mpc people) about a contest they're running for one week.
You download a template and put a design on it that will be printed on the mouthpiece (if you win).
Prize is a custom piece, so if you can draw or create, I'd recommend checking it out.

This is the example they give

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Maybe someone would do one for the Café? If this is of interest to you, check it out. I'm probably not going to enter, unless an idea comes to me in a dream :cool:

I also stopped by the local 3D printer store today and asked if they'd be able to print reeds. We've talked about this before here, but I wouldn't know if the designs available on the net are any good.
 
I'll have a go!

I have a few ideas... Based on some work I did recently for myself.
 
On printing reeds, I tried that once, it was a terrible failure.
Here were my issues:
  • The bottom of the reed was full of tiny ridges due to how FDM printers work.
  • The profile of the reed just became a bunch of rectangles and the tip was very thick
  • The material was too brittle
To fix that, you'd need to:
  • Sand the bottom for a long long time with fine (I use 600 grit on my cane reeds) sandpaper. I tried this on my attempt but lost patience and desire after so much time
  • You would need a finer resolution printer than what I used, which was o.1 mm layer height. I'm not sure what you would actually need.
  • You'll need to use an elastic filament. I had access to PLA, which is particularly brittle. Maybe nylon would work, no idea honestly,
  • Even after those adjustments, there are probably more issues I was unable to realize and you'll probably need to spend a fair amount of time sanding it finely to get a smooth profile.
I've seen a youtube video of a guy playing of a 3D printed mouthpiece, reed, and ligature, I'll try and find it...
Got it:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAETF6_jUhc
 
You would need a finer resolution printer than what I used, which was o.1 mm layer height. I'm not sure what you would actually need
Thanks for sharing that, very interesting to hear actual experience. It sounds like you used a consumer-level printer. Come to think of it, the store probably doesn't have the kind of printer that a shop like Syos has. Also, it's true that reed shape is very thin, so maybe near impossible to do without industrial strength tools and materials.
 
I don't think you'll ever do it with an FDM printer. Cheapish resin printers like the Anycubic Photon however, will do layer height down to 0.025mm. or approx 1/1000 inch., The software will let you go even lower but they don't recommend it and I haven't tried. That's the Z resolution. X and Y are 0.05mm resolution and you can get details down to that. There are no limitations due to nozzle size like FDM printers.

I tried to make a reed using the standard resin but the result was rubbish. It was far to soft and it warped during post cure. There are however many resins with different properties and I could probably find one that works. The trouble is I wouldn't really want to put the stuff in my mouth other than for a quick test so I've given up on that.

I have printed a clarinet barrel that works perfectly (better than the original) and a folk flute in G that plays fine over 2 octaves and reasonably in tune straight off the printer, That one was several small sections glued together and it has a standard 7 degree undercut for the embouchure hole. I designed it using free wind instrument simulation software called WIDesigner.

I'm currently working on a copy of a tenor 4th flute (big recorder) by Stanesby Junior using technical drawings of the original instrument from the Bate collection.

Stanesby Junior 4th flute plans | University of Oxford

I'm struggling to get the windway and labium right. My current version plays sort of OK (ish) for a few minutes then the windway blocks up with condensation and I can't get the lowest notes.. I'm thinking I may have to make some parts out of wood to soak up some of the condensation.

I think mouthpieces would be easily doable using this technology. My prints look considerably cleaner than syos mouthpieces. Again though, I wouldn't want to put them in my mouth for any length of time.
 
I'm terms of material, synthetic reeds manufacturers often use 'fibered' composites, like cane. That's hard to replicate with a printer!

:headscratch:
 
That’s very cool @saxyjt what inspired you? It’s very striking and unusual.
Edit: I’ve just taken a closer look at your avatar and see that you’ve already designed this... but I can’t remember the story behind it.
 
That’s very cool @saxyjt what inspired you? It’s very striking and unusual.
Edit: I’ve just taken a closer look at your avatar and see that you’ve already designed this... but I can’t remember the story behind it.

I did this a few weeks ago.

Inspired by that tapa from the Marquises Islands in French Polynesia.

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But I didn't want to just make a poor copy, so I kept some elements and added some of my own...
 
Hey you! Out there in the cold, can't you participate in this design contest?


Come on, you can do it! Let your creative self drive you.
 
Hey you! Out there in the cold, can't you participate in this design contest?


Come on, you can do it! Let your creative self drive you.
Do you mean me? I can’t draw at all. Not even stick figures.
 
Have you noticed they have changed the wording in the section:

How to participate:

Easy! You just have to download the tenor mouthpiece template by clicking on this link: Syos design competition tenor Syos template. The template is a tenor so it's easier, but the design can be adapted in the future for other saxophone (alto, tenor, soprano...) so the winner could choose the kind of mouthpiece they want.

That did read 'so the winner could chose the kind of mouthpiece he wants'.
 
Have you noticed they have changed the wording in the section:

How to participate:

Easy! You just have to download the tenor mouthpiece template by clicking on this link: Syos design competition tenor Syos template. The template is a tenor so it's easier, but the design can be adapted in the future for other saxophone (alto, tenor, soprano...) so the winner could choose the kind of mouthpiece they want.

That did read 'so the winner could chose the kind of mouthpiece he wants'.

It's a typical translation issue. Nothing more... :rolleyes:
 
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