# Risks

## Acoustic

- Free-reed pitch may not pull down to the target pipe note.
- The same reed may behave differently in side-branch and closed-open layouts.
- Leakage can make both branches appear falsely unstable.
- Chamber leakage can masquerade as reed pull-down failure or poor onset.

Mitigation: start with P0 coupon measurements, then one single-pipe control.

## Fabrication

- Reed windows and gasket lands are small enough that rough sketches can become
  misleading quickly.
- Bamboo, hardwood, printed cores, and ceramic shells will not share the same
  tolerances or service behavior.

Mitigation: keep the first acoustic core removable and delay full-body CAD.

## Safety

- Sharp reed tongues and small metal edges need deburring and eye protection
  during tuning.
- Blowing high pressure into a leaky fixture can eject loose reed parts.
- Unregulated shop air can exceed safe onset-test pressure before the reed
  speaks.

Mitigation: fixture the reed plate mechanically, deburr before handling, set a
safe pressure limit, and test at low pressure first.

## Scope

- A compact prototype can be useful without being traditional.
- A traditional side-branch layout can be valid without being compact.

Mitigation: keep branch labels visible in every file and drawing.