 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Evert
Date: 2024-01-09 11:54
So my newly aquired RC Prestige had the cork crack in one of the joints yesterday.
The seller offers me to fix it while I wait, but it's a 2 hour drive one way.
Can I do it myself?
Have you done it?
/Evert
Post Edited (2024-01-09 12:11)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2024-01-09 17:02
Unless you know exactly what you're doing, don't do anything and have it replaced by an experienced repairer. Step away from the superglue.
For the time being, wrap it with three winds of PTFE tape to keep it in place. It's going to have to be replaced anyway, so it doesn't matter if the PTFE tape compresses it.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Evert
Date: 2024-01-09 17:17
So the gluing part is what's risky?
Maybe I'll send it in then..
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Author: m1964
Date: 2024-01-09 19:44
Evert wrote:
> So the gluing part is what's risky?
> Maybe I'll send it in then..
I would not send it, esp. if it's cold where you live.
Gluing cork is not risky.
The most difficult part (IMO) is removal of the old cork- sometimes it's barely held in place and comes off easily, other times it's difficult to remove.
Also, it makes it easier to remove the bridge key and D#/A# thrill key when replacing the middle tenon cork.
There are multiple videos on YT about cork replacement, and you can search this forum for the tips as well.
However, if in doubt, I would drive two hours and watch the seller - this way you can do it yourself next time.
***Watching YT and getting all supplies takes time too.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2024-01-09 20:05
Gluing the cork IS risky for anyone who doesn't know what they're doing. It's also a pointless and futile task as the chances of greased cork being glued down is next to zero.
I've even seen a tenon cork and the top joint smeared with superglue on a new RC clarinet done as a quick and half-arsed under guarantee repair from the company that sold it by one of their in house repairers in their repair department, so no-one's infallible if they choose to take the easy route. Only trust a repairer whose work you know for a fact is good.
That's why there are repairers who repair things on a daily basis and the last thing they want to see is a botched DIY job and having to do a major cleanup of smeared glue or at worst a tenon repair instead of a relatively simple tenon cork replacement.
Don't watch YouTube videos on any woodwind repairs as even those made by some well established companies with an in house repair department show the wrong way to do things which will only cost you more to have the resulting damage put right when things inevitably go tits up. Watching YouTube videos won't suddenly make you an expert.
Do the right thing and have it repaired by an experienced repairer than doing more harm than good yourself. Competent repairers have years of experience behind them in doing tenon cork replacements and would prefer things to be left as they are instead of made worse by someone with no skill nor experience making a complete balls up of things, only for that incompetence to cost the owner more for all that damage to be sorted out.
In the meantime, wrap the flapping tenon cork with PTFE tape so you can still use it until you can find the time to take it and have it professionally and competently replaced.
Until then, DON'T GLUE ANYTHING!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2024-01-09 20:21)
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Author: stevesklar
Date: 2024-01-09 22:48
I agree with Chris.
A YouTube video may make something seem easy, but those repair people have done it many times and can do it quickly.
So if you want to try it and learn I would recommend doing it on a cheap clarinet that you don't mind damaging, maybe multiple times until you get the hang of it.
Plus, you'll have to invest in to the proper equipment, high quality corks, etc ... so if you only need a one-time fix it's cheaper to have someone who knows how to do it properly.
But trying it for the first time on an RC Clarinet?
In your profession, would you think someone who has never done it before be able to do your profession as good as you can do it on their first try?
==========
Stephen Sklar
My YouTube Channel of Clarinet Information
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Author: lydian
Date: 2024-01-09 23:43
Cork replacement is pretty easy, but takes practice to do it well. Took me several tries to get good at it and make it look as good as the factory. Over the past several decades, I’ve replaced the neck corks many times on my saxes and the joint corks on my clarinets. But I have all the tools, supplies and skills to do it. I’d recommend a novice practice on a parts horn first.
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2024-01-10 04:59
Evert,
Chris P, m1964 and lydian all make some very valuable points.
Here's my perspective: you bought a professional clarinet from someone which quickly developed a "crack" in one of the tenon corks. This makes me very suspicious about the rest of the instrument. I would strongly suggest going over the entire instrument with a magnifying glass to possibly spot any other problem that could possibly take place within a short period of time.
Is the person you bought it from a professional repair person?
I searched the Internet for reasons a tenon cork could possibly "crack" and found nothing. What do I suspect? The aging of the cork possibly left for an extended period of time with little or no cork grease lubricant on it.
If the seller is not a professional repair person, you might want to ask when the last time the entire instrument was professionally serviced.
Bottom line...you have a professional instrument and, IMHO, only a true professional should work on it. Chris is absolutely correct.
My gut tells me that if one cork went bad, the others may not be in very good condition. If the seller is not a true professional repairperson, I suggest finding one who is much closer and having all of the tenon corks replaced. Yes, this could get expensive, however, the piece of mind knowing that your professional instrument has all brand new tenon corks should make this investment all worth while.
Have I done this before? Yes, on my student clarinets and m1964 is absolutely correct. I had some where it took me an immense amount of time using a small, thin blade screwdriver to try and remove the stuck, sticky contact cement. Very frustrating... Bottom line? I wouldn't do it again. I would send a student clarinet to a professional to have a tenon cork replaced.
All of the above are just my opinions.
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Author: m1964
Date: 2024-01-10 06:58
To the OP: maybe you can find a good experienced tech not far from you and just pay him/her for cork replacement. It may be even cheaper that driving two hours one-way.
I would not mess with any repair on a Prestige if I did not have any experience.
About 1.5 years ago I bought a new A Prestige, and two months later the lower tenon cork got lose.
When removing the cork I noted it was held by just ONE DAB of contact cement, not even spread out much. The cork came off very easily.
later, the same lower tenon cork on my Bb started feeling mushy so I decided to replace it. That cork was glued so well that it took me prob. 15-20 min. to remove.
I guess they glued the tenon corks on my A on Friday afternoon when everyone was going home. Or, maybe Buffet was running out of contact cement...
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Author: davidjsc
Date: 2024-02-07 03:13
I did my own tenon cork during the big global flu pandemic when music stores in my town were not allow to open, and the cork dried too much in our house and came off from my alto clarinet.
Watched a youtube clip of a US military band master sergeant demonstationing how to do so, and then acquired some quality cork and a scraper tool from Ferree's. Cost me about $50 in all supplies.
Watched clip from start to finish three times, and then watched him step by step as I did it myself.
Yes it *can* be done - but at the time I was desperate for a repair and felt like it was a bit of a risk to take. With hindsght, it wasn't all that hard and would replace any tenon myself in the future... but you do need to feel like you are skilled and "crafty" with your hands.
Trickiest part was sanding out the cork enough so it wasn't tight, as well as the wrapping - which, either luck or skill, ended up seemlessly.
lydian above has a great reply - because personally if I can learn to do something myself, then awesome. I don't always want to be shelling out $$$ to a repair guy for stuff I can do in my kitchen in 45 mins. Sure it may piss off some of the pro types who make their living from it, but so be it. I tell my repair guy "don't touch the tenons I can do that myself", he looks at them, shugs "yup I can see you can" and and he's fine with it.
DSC
~~ Alto Clarinet; Bass Clarinet; B-flat and C Boehm Clarinets; Albert C Clarinet; Oboe ~~
Post Edited (2024-02-07 03:28)
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Author: Evert
Date: 2024-02-07 09:07
Thanks everyone for your engagement!
The seller is a professional business dealing with repairs and they sent me the cork piece and a link to that military instruction video.
I found a repair guy locally though, asked around in the orchestra.
He fixed it for €20 =)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2024-02-07 20:06
davidjsc wrote:
> Sure it may piss off some of the pro types
> who make their living from it, but so be it. I tell my repair
> guy "don't touch the tenons I can do that myself", he looks at
> them, shugs "yup I can see you can" and and he's fine with it.
>
I don't think most repair people are depending on the money they make from replacing corks. Their bread-and-butter comes from bigger projects. Unless the cork replacements are part of a larger overhaul, I suspect most would be just as happy not to have to spend the time on them. What most pro repair techs don't want to do is clean up a botched DIY attempt before re-doing it.
Karl
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