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 Barrel is stuck
Author: Clarineteer 
Date:   2016-02-02 22:13

I have a plastic Bundy Eb clarinet and the barrel is stuck to the upper joint. I would appreciate it if someone could please offer me a proper fix to my problem. Thanks in advance.

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 Re: Barrel is stuck
Author: Ed Palanker 
Date:   2016-02-02 22:41

Put it in the refrigerator of a while to shrink the cork then "gently" move the barrel back and forth to loosen it. Do not force it. Some times it might need a little "snap" to get it started. Always be gentle. Once it comes out make sure the cork is well greased everyrtime you put it together.

ESP eddiesclarinet.com

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 Re: Barrel is stuck
Author: kdk 
Date:   2016-02-02 22:43

Your first attempt is to grasp the barrel with one hand and the upper section with the other and try to rock the barrel slightly to break the grip (without breaking the tenon). Every so often try twisting the barrel to see if it has come loose. It may help to use some kind of rubber grip around the the barrel to allow you to apply more torque without it's starting to slip around in your hand. The big thing to be careful about is that you don't grasp keys in places where they can bend easily. Try to grab over a post or around keys, especially the long pivot rod down the left hand stack of keys.

If that doesn't loosen it, you can try putting both hands around the top section and have someone else grip the barrel and twist. Again, avoid long, bendable rods.

With a plastic clarinet this isn't likely to be a problem of the actual body material binding inside the barrel socket, as it often is with wood unkess this is a chronic problem that you've been putting up with. Is this the first time this has happened? If not, maybe a trip to a repair shop would be good to make sure the barrel actually fits the tenon well.

Karl

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 Re: Barrel is stuck
Author: SarahC 
Date:   2016-02-02 22:56

i have had this problem with wooden clarinets, so i just leave them in a cool place, and come back a few hours later.

once it is apart. check and see if the cork is swollen, u can always scrape it down a bit

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 Re: Barrel is stuck
Author: Caroline Smale 
Date:   2016-02-02 23:20

The problem of stuck barrels is virtually NEVER to do with the cork and almost invariably due to interference between the wood (or plastic) parts of the tenon and socket.
In 25 years of repair the only cork problem I have ever seen causing sticking is when a Buffet R13 or similar is kept in those stupid double cases that do not allow complete disassembly for storage and only then when a customer has kept the bell fully on the lower tenon for about 3 years without moving it.

If you can create a tiny bit of sideways "wobble" in the barrel you can then wedge a very thin piece of metal (e.g. a razor blade) in the small gap created on one side and use this as a fulcrum to gently lever the barrel the opposite way and then repeat gradually increasing the blade thickness as the gap widens. I have never had this method fail.



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 Re: Barrel is stuck
Author: Clarineteer 
Date:   2016-02-03 00:09

Thanks to everyone. Will report back with results.

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 Re: Barrel is stuck
Author: Wes 
Date:   2016-02-03 01:13

Ditto to what Norman Smale wrote!

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 Re: Barrel is stuck
Author: SteveP 
Date:   2016-02-03 02:10

There is a earlier string on this which is worth reading. A search will turn it up. Norman is correct, and a handy device for this is a cheap set of automotive feeler blades - these start as thin as a razor blade (but are not dangerous) and go up in sizes by .001 steps. Do a small "Rock", put in a blade, rock the other direction, put in the thicker blade, etc. It is safe for both hands and horn even though it takes a while.

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 Re: Barrel is stuck
Author: Chris P 
Date:   2016-02-03 03:41

Another method of gripping the barrel tight to remove it is to loop a leather belt around it and fasten the free ends in a vice.

But the danger there is snapping the tenon off which is easier to do on a plastic clarinet than a wooden one if you use too much force and stress the tenon in the wrong direction.

I haven't snapped a clarinet tenon as of yet nor ever used this method on a plastic clarinet as I've never encountered a plastic clarinet where the barrel had bound on the tenon.

This belt and vice method is shown in a 1970s Yamaha repair manual.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010

The opinions I express are my own.

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 Re: Barrel is stuck
Author: Clarineteer 
Date:   2016-02-03 09:48

The refrigerator worked perfectly. Thanks again to everyone.

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