Klarinet Archive - Posting 000826.txt from 1998/09

From: Roger Shilcock <roger.shilcock@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: [kl] Aluminum & Plastic Buffets
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 03:48:48 -0400

I'll expand on my previous point about this. Wood dust is obviously
inflammable, and you have to bear that very much in mind in a
wood-processing enterprise. Generally, though, you have to *set* fire to
wood - with aluminium dust, you may not even have to do that.
Aluminium also notoriously suffers from "creep", even at room temperature.
Finally, when you've made your instrument and you haven't set the place on
fire and you've kept the dust out of your workers' lungs, what do you *do*
with the dust and shavings? You can't very well make them into a
GreenLine......
Roger Shilcock

On Tue, 22 Sep 1998, Kevin Fay (LCA) wrote:

> Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 08:56:30 -0700
> From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
> Reply-To: klarinet@-----.org
> To: "'klarinet@-----.org>
> Subject: [kl] Aluminum & Plastic Buffets
>
> Mr. Kloc wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
> So maybe it is why even if we make a plastic professional clarinet one day
> like somebody suggested lately it will not cost much less than the wooden
> ones. exept if we don't use the skills of our maker wich is something,I am
> pretty sure Buffet will not do. Again i would like to say to everyone that I
> enjoy and I am proud to be ablle to discuss about so many things on this
> list.Thank you for you post everyone.
>
> <endsnip>
>
> I'll restate--when my wife bought her Loree oboe w/ the ABS top joint, it
> cost *more* than the all-wood model. I would expect the labor cost to be
> roughly the same; while the plastic joint could be molded to roughly the
> correct shape, the pro model would require the same machining etc. as a wood
> one. The material cost is only a very small part of the cost of the horn,
> even with a rare wood like Mpingo. What is expensive--irreplaceable, in
> fact--is the expertise of the folks like Mr. Kloc.
>
> The Greenlines seem to be a good first step. I tried one, and thought that
> it sounded just fine. Too heavy for my poor right thumb, however. When
> Buffet makes a plastic pro horn, I'll buy one. Maybe two (in various keys,
> of course).
>
> Dee noted that aluminum is heavy. I don't know how many of you have played
> the Buffet Elite--a thinwall Mpingo clarinet. Plays very nice, albeit
> (IMHO) with a somewhat brighter tone. I wonder if one could be milled out
> of aluminum?
>
> kjf
>
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