Klarinet Archive - Posting 000221.txt from 1993/12

From: david lawrence shea <dshea@-----.EDU>
Subj: Clarinet Cracks
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1993 08:51:53 -0500

AAARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!! I opened up my case yesterday and there was a crack
staring me right in the face. Thank god it was nowhere near a tone hole, but
still it was a most disappointing moment.

To make something good out of the situation, I was inspired to bring up a
new topic for us to consider. What is the best way to cope with cracks on
an instruments. As far as I know, there are two schools of thought on how
to repair a crack (which doesn't involve tone holes).

1. Take the instrument to a repairperson and have him or her pin
the crack.

2. Simply apply super glue to the crack and forget about it.

To many, suggestion number 2 might sound like heracy. However, it is the
option I choose. I repaired a crack on my A clarinet several years ago with
super glue and it is still holding fine.

My reasoning for using option 2 is as follows. If a crack occurs on a clarinet
it is due to a certain stress on the wood. When the wood cracks that stress
is relieved. By super gluing the crack, the crack is held together and the
stress will not be present. By pinning a crack, it seems to me that one just
puts the stress back into the wood. This can lead to other cracks. A student
here at IU had a crack pinned recently and since has had several other cracks
occur in other areas of the instrument.

Any comments out there? I am sure many repair people might find me foolish
but I am yet to be convinced that pinning is the way to go. My mind is
very open to a compelling argument for pinning. Meanwhile my horns are fine,
I continue to save lots of money, and I don't have to part with my horn as
it sits in a repair shop.

P.S. As promised, I finally learned to use the mail editor so I had to show
my formatting ability in listing the two schools of thought on repair.

DavidL. Shea
Indiana University
dshea@-----.edu