 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: contragirl
Date: 2003-05-16 05:35
I am getting an older buffet double case for a good price, but it seems that the interior is in poor shape. Is there a way that a tech can reline the case with new velvet? I wouldn't want to do it myself, because I would most likely mess it up, so I would rather a professional do it.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-05-16 13:27
Having relined some cases with velvet myself I can say that it is a job for someone having excellent upholstery skills. If you are not in that category then you can try it yourself and end up with a job not befitting the case.
My personal thought is that if you have it relined professionally you will end up with total costs exceeding or equalling a new double Buffet case.
Cutting and fitting velvet is tricky.
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2003-05-19 11:29
Any idea where to get good quality plush venvet? The stores around me all seem to have the same unapealing, low quality stuff.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-05-19 12:30
Any "yard goods" shop should have it; some upholstery shops do.
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Author: jim lande
Date: 2003-05-20 02:03
I am partial to silk velvet over foam rubber with not much attempt at fine fitting. The velvet is so pretty nobody notices much else. Foam rubber is very forgiving and likely protects the horn better than older case designs. For that matter, I currently use a Sears Craftsman tool box (roughly 24" by 8" by 5" and double walled.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-05-20 13:14
Rubber, if it is natural, will probably contribute sulphur to the air, accelerating tarnish/corrosion of any silver plating.
Many years ago, for the case of my run-over Haynes flute, I glued about 20 splits, relined it (with German plush velvet - expensive stuff!) and recovered it (leather - also expensive).
The result was as good as the original, but as I recall it took me about 25 hours.
As a technician, expecting technician pay, I regard relining as uneconomical. I totally agree with BobD.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-05-21 11:28
Attachment: Relined case.jpg (92k)
This is not such a big deal, if you're willing to accept your own handiwork.
The key is in properly applying the adhesive used (Terry mentions 'Super Tacky Glue' which is available at WalMart - I use the same)...
Read the instructions and try a test piece, which need not be large, putting the various materials together.
My wrinkle on the reassembly was to use styrofoam covered with upholstery matting (dacron) which is the cushioning layers. These were then covered with the velvet layer.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-05-21 12:02
"This is not such a big deal, if you're willing to accept your own handiwork."
True, but it is easier to accept one's own handiwork than it is to accept less than perfect handiwork from a technician who has tried to balance issues of time and money.
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2003-05-22 03:57
Contragirl,
Do you play clarinet? If so you have enough coordination to reline the case. Just follow my directions in the two pages I refrence below. If you don't like how it looks just pull it out and re-stuff the velvet. It only takes about an hour to do the job start to finish once you have the supplies.
One caveat is that when you buy the velour, velvet, silk or whatever be sure you do not get material which stretches. If you do you can still do a good job, it is just very hard to do.
How I did my double case.
How I did my first double case and how you can reline yours.
I hope this helps. We just finished up our season in the local Jr. College Orchestra. We played Majic Flute Overture, Piano Concerto #20 D Minor, and symphony #40 in G minor by Mozart. Then we did Symphony #8 B minor Schubert (unfinished). I had some juicy solos, especially in the Schubert. It was great, the director hunted me down afterwords to thank me for the solo work (rather uncharicteristic of him), I am quite pleased... and owe it all to the case... also to John Butler for his expert work on my horns.
Terry
Post Edited (2003-05-23 01:05)
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Author: contragirl
Date: 2003-05-22 05:26
Hehe, I would doubt I have as much coordination as you think, Terry.
That guide page is super awesome! It makes me want to make a double case from a violin case, even though I do not own any one piece horns (though I wish that I did).
Anyway, Gordon mentioned: "Rubber, if it is natural, will probably contribute sulphur to the air, accelerating tarnish/corrosion of any silver plating." How would I know if the foam like Terry had used would not corrode my keys? I worked in a fabric store for a couple years, and I know I had no idea what the foam was made of. hehe
One main reason for relining the case is that the wood pieces under the velvet have gotten wobbly and one joint of the A clarinet always slips out of place. And remember the old Buffet yellow/gold/orange interior? That's a little too retro for my young blood. :-P
Thank you all very much for your info!!
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2003-05-22 14:28
I doubt you could find any natural rubber (latex) foam even if you wanted to. The stuff you get at fabric stores is a very stable expanded cell foam made from petroleum and doesn't relase fumes from sulfides. Get a chunk and throw it into a baggie or bottle with a piece of metal plated similarly to your horn, maybe the head joint of your sisters Haines flute (that way there is no chance of damaging your clarinet), and wait a few weeks to see if it tarnishes.
Seriously though the problem probably won't be the foam, it will be any adhesives such as spray on fabric glue which you might inadvertantly use. You can get some anti-tarnish 3M strips from Feree's to throw into the case to protect against that problem. The two cases I did and documented in my post have had silver plated pieces in them (the big case has only a plated barrel) and in about 3 years the little case (and one year for the big case} there has been no tarnish problem.
I would be careful to exclude rubber bands from inside my case... I had a silver Conn C melody soprano sax which someone had placed rubber bands onto to replace springs. After about 40 years those bands had eaten into the metal by at least 0.1 mm! The finish was permanently damaged.
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Author: contragirl
Date: 2003-05-24 08:10
ok ok, I have a new thought. I see that Terry used a metal case (which the local hardware store sells as a toolbox) to make into a clarinet case. Now, if I were to make a case for my alto clarinet, would that kind of box be big enough to hold an alto? If it's too small, what other household boxes would be worthy of clarinet caseness?
Thanks
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2003-05-27 14:24
The fellow who sold me my A clarinet had it in a rifle case (try and get that onto a plane). Check out pool cue cases, fishing rod cases, old Ma Jhong cases. A good sized atache case etc.Remember you can run the horn pieces diagonally and use a case which is otherwise too small.
TH
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