 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Clarineteer
Date: 2014-10-24 00:54
Can someone please tell me which compound I should use and which type of buffing wheel for my 6" bench motor with variable speed to remove severe pitting on a set of Buffet 1953 Bb keys which are unplated. Thanks in advance.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-10-24 02:11
Have you filed and papered them up first? You can't remove any kind of pitting by purely buffing alone. Well you can, but you'll risk losing a lot of definition in the keywork.
I start by filing the keys smooth with a fairly smooth file, then paper them up with 600 (maybe use a soft brass buffing wheel at this stage to even things out), then 800 and 1000 grit abrasive, then buff them using Tripoli, then finish with jewellers' rouge using a softer mop than the one with Tripoli on it.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Clarineteer
Date: 2014-10-24 02:15
Thanks Chris. I will try that. So far I tried tripoli which works but only after the key is put to the wheel for a long time with a lot of pressure and they really heat up so I thought that there must be a more aggressive compound that will remove the heavy pitting quickly but I guess not.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-10-24 03:02
There are far more abrasive compounds, but I wouldn't recommend trying to buff out pitting as you can get gouges or ridges in the keywork by doing that which you'll have to then file flat, so removing even more metal than you otherwise would by doing all the prep in stages.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2014-10-24 15:20
Also, remember to keep adding compound to the wheel and rake it out when necessary.
Steve Ocone
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Author: ErezK
Date: 2014-10-24 21:46
I am not sure I would try to remove the pitting because while it may look nicer to have a nice smooth surface, you are removing metal and might weaken the key. I am not sure which keys are affected, with some it may not be an issue, but some parts (like the rods) I wouldn't touch.
My clarinet had some pitting and what I decided at the end, with the technician at the time was to get it replated. It came out great, I can still see the pittings if I look close enough, but it should be fine now for a long time.
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Author: Clarineteer
Date: 2014-10-25 02:40
I actually found a coarse buffing wheel from Dremel that takes most of the pitting off and then I use tripoli with the bench motor and that gets 99 percent of the pitting off. I am very careful not to take to much metal off of the rods. Thanks for all of the advice. I really appreciate it.
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