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Extending a key? How?

Author: Wayne Thompson
Date: 2006-09-04 17:10

I play at repairing clarinets. I have read it here, but can not find the reference; is there a temporary technique to make a key touchpiece longer, using epoxy perhaps. A student of mine has an Antigua clarinet, on which the register key is too short, leaving 3/16 inch space from the outside edge of the thumb ring. And her fingers are not long anyway. The long reach for her thumb to the register key is making her readjust her hands, and crossing the break for her is much harder than it would be normally.

Having written this, I will now go buy some epoxy and simply try a 1/8 inch extension on an old key on my bench. I wonder if it will be strong enough?

Wayne Thompson

Post Edited (2006-09-04 17:14)

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Re: Extending a key? How?

Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2006-09-04 17:24

Hi Wayne,

Interesting problem. IMHO you might use a small piece of curved plastic like perscription bottles are made out of for the extension. These bottles are thin but sturdy and can be easily sanded or filed to get the right size. Then, using narrow pieces of clear shipping tape, see if you can tape the extension to the top of the key. That might be a good way to start?

HRL

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Re: Extending a key? How?

Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2006-09-04 23:57

Buy some synthetic fingernails, they might have roughly the shape to fit over the register key. They should also be sturdy enough not to bend, maybe glue two together.

Don't blush at the checkout. [wink]

--
Ben

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Re: Extending a key? How?

Author: Wayne Thompson
Date: 2006-09-07 17:29
Attachment: DSC00784cropped.JPG (399k)
Attachment: DSC00781cropped.JPG (446k)

Well...
I liked the fingernail idea, but the only ones I found of about the right size were for little girls and they had pink flowers on them. And indeed I did feel shy staring at the display for five minutes. I bailed.

Here are some photos of what I tried. J-B Weld. I used an old key to experiment on. And though I'd still like to try a mold of somesort, like a fingernail, this attempt was just using a drop of the epoxy and letting it take a natural shape from gravity. The product is quite viscous but will sag with time; it takes hours to set up and is quite strong. When I liked the shape I put it into the freezer to slow the sagging. And then into the refrigerator for setting over night. I'm not clear on this timing. Obviously this was a lot of trouble. I figured the natural drop shape is strong, and though it will scrape off the nickel plating cleanly, it has a lot of area to bond to and that also will make it strong.

Wayne Thompson

Post Edited (2006-09-07 17:35)

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