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Re: Attempting a mini-overhaul

Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-04-07 16:32

Good words all around.

To answer your specific questions, here's the way I do it: Once the keys are removed, you may want to take off any flat springs. The springs and their screws are steel and the next step might bend a spring. I use a fabric wheel and polishing compound to improve key finish. With nickel or unplated nickel silver, this can take a lot of time. Silver can be polished much more quickly.

Some repair people use all kinds of weird stuff to clean the wood. I prefer wiping it with a good bore oil (Bore Doctor is my pick) on a soft cloth.

Cleaning the springs and screws can be done almost any way that works well for steel. I rub them with a stiff cloth to remove any rust. If you use water to clean any crud off steel parts, be sure to dry them quickly and completely. Use a soft cloth to give them a very light application of a light oil before reassembling the instrument. Mark is right: this is not the time to replace any round springs. Learning to do that by yourself is not simple.

As you are doing this for yourself and will not be using pads by the hundreds, forget the economy of buying cheap pads. Go for the good stuff, whatever you may think that is. Cork for the register hole? If you like. Cork on the entire UJ? If you wish. Resonators on the four large pads? Sure, if that's what you want. (I prefer Prestini leather pads.) As you invest a lot of time on this project, remember that only a small additional amount of money will give it the pads you want.

Good luck on your project. This reminds me of doing my first mini-overhaul a number of years ago. Mine went well, and so will yours.

Regards,
John

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