“The novice, noting a fine agreement among his observations, is often deceived into supposing he has attained an accuracy far greater than the measurements really justify. The surest way to obtain enlightenment is to remeasure the same quantity by an entirely different method. The lack of agreement that is apt to result is often a disagreeable surprise and gives one, as nothing else can, a just estimate of how grudgingly Nature permits the real truth to be extracted. A close agreement in the results of measurements made by two or three entirely different methods gives, on the other hand, the highest assurance that a real precision has been attained.”
From Methods of measuring electrical resistance  by Edwin Fitch Northrup  (1912)

http://books.google.com/books?id=z3lKAAAAMAAJ
 
This quote is pertinent to my current project.  I am making more than 140 little Delrin probes that will allow me to measure and profile the conical bores in the uilleann pipe chanters and regulators.  Essentially, when constructed and used properly, they should allow me to measure what I make, and to study the works of other makers, especially those makers who are no longer with us.  It's a tiring project, laden with meticulous measurements with calipers and micrometers, and very careful work on the metal lathe.  However, I am already learning a great deal from this exercise.
 
-Dirk
 
In other news, I'm thinking of ditching Blogger.  The features are very limited.  I can't upload video or Mp3 recordings, and the editor stinks.  for instance, it doesn't have a simple underline for text formatting (without using wiki-style commands.)  I had to go out of my way to enable copy/paste.   So, I'll probably host a real site, and run my own blog engine on it, and a Wiki...  Coming soon!