On my David Daye set, a ¾-inch inside diameter clear hose connects the bellows to the bag. I can’t find anything on his site that explains why he picked this size; it was probably easier to source PVC tubing that fit into it. But I’m creating bespoke compenents for everything, so I can pick any size I like.

Are there standards for bagpipe tubes? I can’t find any. Garden hose is pretty standard, though: ⅝" inside diameter. And barbed adapters are ubiquitous, so I’ll put one of those on my outlet adapter. I’ll also add some texture to the part you grab, so it will be easier to twist in and out.

I’m only using one barb, so there’s a space you can tie down if you want. In my testing, it works pretty well without being tied in, and I’m planning to leave the bag side untied, so I can pull things apart easily.

To tie in on the bellows side, I’m using a 5¢ nylon zip tie. If you’re feeling spendy, you could also use a 45¢ hose clamp. If you want street cred with other pipers, I guess you’ll tie it off with waxed twine, artificial sinew, or something exotic and difficult to work with. I feel like we’re past that point with this set, but I’m not here to tell anyone how to live their life.

In any case, I recommend covering the whole hose with a fabric tube, to improve the overall look.

Update: it’s fine

I’ve been playing with this part for about a month now, and it’s just fine. The barb works great with the hose: no leaking, and it’s easy to pull apart.

I measured a few hoses last week at Swannanoa, and found that ⅝-inch hose is common enough, although one piper bristled when I called it “garden hose”. My friends in Europe assure me that ⅝" is common there as well.

Don’t leave your set in a hot car with the hose attached, or the hose might expand. But if it does, you can replace it easily enough at any hardware store in the world.

We’ve got a winner.