Klarinet Archive - Posting 000098.txt from 2002/03

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] barrel removal
Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2002 11:37:01 -0500

Gary says: <<Walt G: You have experience with woodworking - what do you think about this idea for Winston: It seems obvious to me that there is wood to wood contact in the barrel tenon.>>

Yes, that contact could be at the bottom of the tenon socket, at the very top of the left hand joint tenon, or, at the top of the tenon socket contacting the wood BELOW the cork on the tenon. Or, worse, both.

<< Warm the barrel at the sticking joint. At some point that area of the barrel will have expanded enough to increase the inner dimension of the barrel tenon thereby allowing the tenon to release its grip.>>

If the interior is very moist, it seems to me that this would NOT work. The additional heat, with moisture, would cause more swelling.

If it were my clarinet, I would set it aside and let it dry for several days, then apply heat with a hair dryer, stopping occasionally to "rock" the barrel side to side.

If that didn't work, I would use a very sharp chisel, and force it between the metal ring and the left hand joint, and see if I could force the barrel directly UPWARD. I would use pressure againt the metal ring, Much care would have to be taken to not injure the wood on the upper joint.

<< is there a risk of cracking the barrel?>>

It seems to me that if the barrel was going to crack, it would have done so when it was forced onto the tenon.

My advice - GO to the best repair technician in the area, don't do this yourself!

Advice number 2 - Never force a barrel on to a tenon, if it "stops" and you must push hard to get it to "click" in, DON'T.

Advice number 3 - never assemble if your barrel rings are loose enough to come off. This is when the barrel cracks!

I would like to hear from Clark Fobes on this issue. Clark?

Sincerely,
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com

---------------------------------------------------------------------