Klarinet Archive - Posting 000416.txt from 2002/03
From: Jesse Rogers <jar@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Buffing and Polishing Keys
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2002 14:39:39 -0500
Roy Komack wrote:
> Can anyone help with ideas on tools, materials, and techniques for
> buffing and polishing keys?
Roy, Feree's Tools sells this equipment as well and does sell to the
public. www.ferrestools.com, 1-800-253-2561. They also publish and sell
"Band Instrument Repairing Manual" by Eric Brand which covers buffing.
I must admit that I approach the buffing wheel with some fear for myself
and the work I am polishing. I studied basic instrument repair in college
years ago and I learned a few things very quickly about buffing. First, pay
attention, my bench motor turns at 1725 RPM and doesn't care that the key
I'm buffing comes from a beautiful R-13 clarinet. If the wheel snags the
key it will tear it from your hands and throw it at approximately the speed
that your wheel is turning (5,000 - 6,000 ft. per minute according to
Brand). The second thing is that when the wheel snags a key (and it will),
you let it go. I don't wear rings. I was taught to use the upper end of
the lower quarter of the wheel closest to you (just below the midpoint) so
that when the key gets thrown it goes down to the floor, not up into your
face (or into your crotch) or across the room. If you buff to far down on
the wheel, it will tend to pull your hand into and around the wheel.
My first bench motor came from an old washing machine, later I bought a
bench motor from a hardware store and a utility arbor (to attach the buffing
wheel to the motor). I use 6" diam.. loose muslin buffs with 1/2" holes and
Dico brand (Divine Brothers from Utica NY) buffing compounds from a local
hardware store as well for clarinet keys. Most of the buffing I do anymore
is on small steel tools, for which I use harder wheels and compounds. I do
not buff instrument bodies with this set up or anything larger than a
clarinet key. There are also chamois wheels (for which you may need a
tapered spindle) which work well for silver keys.
As you hold the work to the wheel, the muslin wheel disintegrates and
bits of cotton dust and the waxy compound fly off the wheel onto your
fingers, clothes and face and all over the room. I do very little buffing
any more, but I wear a dust/particle mask and eye protection and an apron.
If you are going to do a lot of buffing, you will need to deal with
dust/breating hazards and keeping your shop clean, there are web sites with
safety warnings and recommendations (which I would put here if I had book
marked them).
I hope this is of help to you,
Jesse Rogers
Upper Arlington, OH
---------------------------------------------------------------------
It's Sneezy.Org Pledge time. Please visit
http://www.sneezy.org/Pledge.html
