#3DDrones

#3DDrones — Highland bagpipe drones to 3D print

The #3DDrones file set is Donald WG Lindsay’s original home-3D-printable Highland bagpipe drone system, designed and prototyped in Glasgow. The modular set includes printable drones, stocks and blowstick.

Its proportions grew from a survey of late-19th- and early-20th-century Highland drone measurements, with the finished profile informed by the late-19th-century pipes owned by Donald’s father. The updated download retains the recognisable exterior design first released by Lindstruments in 2014.

E13 reed-file update · 19 October 2026

E13 corrects the adjustment-screw sockets in the experimental reed bodies: M6 for the 5.5 mm bore and M7 for the 6.5 mm bore, with straight 5.5 / 6.5 mm sockets for the screws to self-tap. If you downloaded E12, please replace its experimental reed body files with E13 using your download link. The original instrument files are unchanged. Apologies for the error.

What you receive

• The 3DDrones E13 print pack, supplied as a ZIP download of approximately 60 MB.
• STL files for one bass drone, two tenors, their stocks, the blowstick and its stock, and a chanter stock.
• The 51-page illustrated guide, Making the Set, covering printing, hand finishing, assembly and setup, with workshop photographs and labelled assembly drawings.
• A standard 8 mm bass bottom, plus matching alternatives with 9 mm, 0.290 inch and 0.330 inch bores; shorter bass substitutes for restricted printer height.
• 116 instrument STL files including 57 optional fin-supported copies and other alternatives; the guide explains which files and quantities to print.
• Experimental E13 drone reeds: 16 body STLs, 36 optional flat blade blank STLs and 12 pairs of SVG/DXF blade cutting outlines. The inverted-tongue bodies have movable bridles, 2.5 or 3 mm mouths and 5.5 or 6.5 mm passages. The guide explains a small starting selection and comparisons.
• A calibrated SVG/DXF leather-valve pattern, starting instructions, fin-removal notes and file checksums, plus access to the construction and playing videos linked below.

The reed designs are experimental and have not been qualified by playing tests. Blade material, fit, seal, adjustment and playing behaviour need practical trials. Maker feedback, including unsuccessful experiments, is welcome at lindstruments@gmail.com; optional specimen and feedback logs are included. There are 168 STL files in total, including alternatives and optional blade blanks: you do not need to print every file.

Files are delivered electronically after payment. No physical parts are supplied.

Printer and print requirements

• Designed for a desktop FFF (fused-filament fabrication) printer of the RepRap family or similar.
• Print all parts at 100% infill to support finishing and re-boring.
• The longest full-length part is 109.95 mm high. Check build height in your slicer; shorter substitutes are included, but one is still 100.95 mm high. Allow additional bed space for a brim and any optional fins.
• The original sets were printed in ABS. Test your chosen material and check that your adhesive is suitable for it.
• Careful calibration and good layer adhesion are important for a strong, airtight result.

This is a substantial making project. Printing, fitting, finishing and assembly take time and care.

Tools and companion parts

Useful hand tools include reamers for approximately 8, 9, 11, 14, 17, 18 and 19.5–20 mm bores; a strong gap-filling adhesive suited to the chosen material; and fine wet-and-dry paper for surface finishing.

Bag, physical reeds, chanter, drone cords and bag cover are not included. Experimental reed-making files are included; blade sheet, O-rings and other hardware must be sourced separately. Commercial drone reeds remain an alternative.

Acoustic design

The design combines historical measurement with iterative prototyping for a mellow, smooth-toned drone set. The final sound and reliability depend heavily on printer calibration, material, tools, finishing and assembly.

See and hear #3DDrones

Licence

Your purchase grants one customer a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to print and use #3DDrones instruments for personal, non-commercial purposes. You may make prints for your own use, but you may not share, upload, redistribute or resell the source files, or sell physical prints made from them, without a separate written licence from Lindstruments.

For institutional, educational or commercial permission, please contact lindstruments@gmail.com before making or supplying copies. This licence does not alter the separately stated Creative Commons terms applying to #Qwistle.