Klarinet Archive - Posting 000672.txt from 2004/11

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Sandpaper vs. Reed knife
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 12:56:48 -0500


In a message dated 11/24/2004 11:33:14 AM Central Standard Time,
jhf@-----.gov writes:

<<Maybe this isn't what you meant by a "contrary report", but I have
noticed
some variability in response within Legere reeds with the same marked
strength. Presumably, this means that the control of the material
properties
is not perfect.>>

There is no perfect material. There is no perfect process.

In my other life, I was a manufacturing systems software engineer for 20
years. In that time period, I toured perhaps 200 different manufacturing
facilities, from computer circuit board manufacture to huge iron foundries.

When you talk to the manufacturing engineers, you see how mightily they
struggle to make the same thing, repeatedly, with the same quality. Many
times they fail. Scrap and seconds are a constant factor in manufacturing life.
Woe to the maker of anything, if he/she doesn't put a "scrap factor" into
every supply/demand equation.

Vast strides have of course been made. CNC technology has helped greatly.
But no
manufacturer controls all aspects of the manufacture of his product.

Sometimes suppliers slip up and send you out of spec stuff.

Sometimes simply temperature and humidity factors can ruin dimensional
accuracy, drying and setting times, etc.

I know Mr. Legere as a very able and dedicated scientist and engineer.
Let's
just not expect perfection........

Walter Grabner
www.clarinetXpress.com
World-class clarinet mouthpieces

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