Klarinet Archive - Posting 000837.txt from 2001/09

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Walter's mystery object
Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 10:38:27 -0400

Bill asked:

<<Since everyone seems to have exhausted their guesses, what is it>>

I thought you would never ask, Bill.

The object in question, which no longer exists in this form, is a fully functional clarinet barrel.

The tenon sockets and the bore had been totally machined, less final polishing, but I did nothing to the exterior.

I find this to be expedient. If I screw up the bore, there's no point in shaping the elegant "pear" shape of the barrel. Except for final polishing, it's about as interesting as cutting grass.

My son saw the barrel in "Block O' Bolo" form and laughed his head off, so I decided to take a pic and post it. Figured we needed some humor.

Interestingly enough, there is some error in the HTML. A very few people could not view the picture, 9 out of 10 browsers display it quite well, a very few can't. Interesting (if you're a puter geek, like me.)

The barrel is almost done. (haven't put the rings on yet) It's 67 mm in length, with a reverse taper bore. I haven't fully reamed it yet, as I'm trying to make a barrel interchangeable with my Bb and my A. If i were to optimise it for my Bb, I'd probably open the bore to 14.9+ to 15 mm, at the top tapering to less than 14.7 at the bottom.

However, if I do that, I'd start running into intonation problems on my A, so right now, I'm leaving the barrel a little longer than I want, with the bore narrower than usual.

My objective is to make myself a barrel that has a great sound, and tames high B and C sharpness on the A clarinet, with out flattening the throat tones on either Bb or A.

Right now, high B and C are good, but throat G tends toward flatness. We'll see.

Walter

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