 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sandee
Date: 2002-09-06 00:37
Has anyone used the "Music Medic" kit for repair of their instrument? Experiences, please!
Thanks
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-09-06 02:59
I've seen it advertised on eBay often. I truly believe anyone would do much better putting your own 'kit' together as you go along. Most of the things I've seen pictured you probably have around the house already or could pick up at your neighborhood hardware or crafts supply store... for a lot less money
needles
small crochet hook
butter knife
contact cement
glue gun cement
little screw drivers
alcohol lamp (jewelry supply, around $5)
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-09-06 11:22
Having one of these kits is a long, long way from doing successful, reliable, repair work. On the other hand, it may well encourage you to do considerable damage!
You can easily buy stuff for servicing your computer printer too, but do you do it? For 99% of players, it is better that they stick to the equivalent of changing the ink catridge, not the heads and the stepping motor.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2002-09-06 12:02
If your intent is to have something on hand for emergency use, I recommend contacting Ferree's for a few basics....
The Self-adhesive Valentino pads will fit in quickly, and cover the tonehole until you can get a proper repair.
Smooth, round-tipped pliers for tentative straightening of bridge keys are perhaps useful, perhaps damaging so caution is appropriate.
If you're in the midst of rehearsal, this could be useful.
If you have sufficient time, go to your tech.
Practice on a beater horn, if you wish to learn.
One last caution... if the horn was made in mainland China, the metal used in the keys can be brittle, and will break readily.
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Author: William
Date: 2002-09-06 15:41
A good repairperson technician once told me that commercially available repair kits were repair departments "best Friends" because they can be very dangerous things in the hands of amateur repairists. A personal case in point. Just because I own a screw driver and have played clarinet all my life, I thought that I could readjust some of the set screws on my new Buffet bass clarinet to comphensate for action problems caused by pulling the middle joint. The results of my "self-repair" sent me opn a 2.5 hour trip (one way) yesterday to International Musical Suppliers so that Tom Fritz--their Buffet specialist--could repair my "repairs." The good news is, my bass now plays as good as it ever did--and better "in tune" with the middle joint pulled (and stabilized with an O ring). And, I have taken my screw driver out of my bass clarinet case--for now, anyway.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-09-07 10:43
Two posts back: "Smooth, round-tipped pliers for tentative straightening of bridge keys are perhaps useful"
My tool arsenal as a technician now includes over 30 pairs of pliers, almost all of them specialized. Unless I have misunderstood, I almost never use what is described above because they would most likely mark keys. FLAT, smooth surfaces are required to distribute any forces over a larger surface.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-09-08 01:57
Gordon -
I try, in most cases, to avoid round nose pliers too, preferring the small flat nosed for most things. I keep a supply manila (heavy paper) strips handy to prevent marring when bending metal. I've seen thin soft sheet copper used for this purpose, though I haven't used it myself. You can purchase copper 'caps' for your bench vice too. The point is to do no harm
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2002-09-08 12:34
Flat, round, serrated or smooth - as long as you're not throwing chairs at the kiddies...
No sense being high-and mighty about a machine... the kids will twiddle with their gear anyway. Might as well make the best of what will be an imperfect situation.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-09-08 13:49
By this post, SB, are you encouraging people to use serrated jaws and put severe serration marks permanently on their keywork.
Pivot rods have often been badly damaged by misguided use of serrated pliers, and the resulting file-like rod jams the pivot &/or chew out the hole through the respective post.
Likewise, round-nose pliers exert too much localized force, which easily (permanently) 'bruises' the metal surface.
Would you also consider using pipe tongs to grab the timber body to disassemble when the joints are tight? Hmmm! OK for your own instrument, but the kids' ones probably deserve more respect.
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