Klarinet Archive - Posting 000393.txt from 1997/10

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Manufacturing Tolerances
Date: Sat, 11 Oct 1997 00:17:22 -0400

On Fri, 10 Oct 1997 Jrykorten@-----.com wrote:

> You neglect to say what price you are charging for your equipment. A
> tolerance of .002" on a $5 part is reasonable. I manufacture a whole body
> plethysmograph for neonates that maintains .001" around an object the size of
> a large suitcase. This product sells for $6000.
>
> A Clarinet sells for $2000 (nominal) and is out of round by .004" is clearly
> not acceptable.

But, what material is being used. I don't even know what a
"plethysmograph" is, but if it is made from a hard metal such as steel,
achieving a tolerance of .001" is a very different matter than getting the
same degree of accuracy in an object made of an organic material such as
wood. As I have mentioned before, wood exhibits a "rebound effect" when
worked. Some of the fibres will be displaced rather than removed by the
tool, and then will have a tendency to try to return to their original
position and dimensions after the tool is removed.

Ed Lacy
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Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
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