 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Music Geek3
Date: 2003-06-30 13:38
I have been having a terrible time putting together and taking apart my relativley new R-13 (3 mon.) I think the corks are really dry and fat. I have been putting vaseline and cork grease whenever I can but thay still aren't getting remarkably better. Also, when putting it together, it is tempting to not put the joints together all the way. That's a really bad thing to do, isn't it? If anyone has some suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks!
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-06-30 13:43
See sponsor The Doctor's Products for his cork lubricants --- they work much better than standard cork grease and MUCH better than vaseline!
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-06-30 14:11
If your new R-13 is only 3 months old it should still be under warranty, and adjustments should be done at no charge...GBK
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Author: Music Geek3
Date: 2003-06-30 15:40
Thanks, I'm looking into new types of grease. I'm also going to ask my teacher about it tonight at my lesson. Also, I noticed this morning when I was practicing that the barrel will not go on all the way. It's not a big gap, just a little one but it still can't be good. Is there anything I can do to make it go on correctly?
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Author: Karel
Date: 2003-06-30 15:52
Yes, take it back to be looked at and probably adjusted. I had a problem with the middle joint on my new R-13, it needed a little wood taken off, no problem since. If it is tending to "bind" like wood-on-wood, you will waste a lot of cork grease trying to solve it that way.
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Author: Bob Schwab
Date: 2003-06-30 17:12
Geez! How expensive are these instruments? And the pieces don't even fit together?!!
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Author: Avie
Date: 2003-06-30 19:52
Unbelievable!! A person pays $1700-1800 for a high rated brand musical instrument that is not properly fitted and in good playing condition is hard to believe. What a terrible disapointment to a young person that is about to set out on a difficult endeaver to begin with. How do they get away with it?
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-06-30 20:07
Everyone talks about how using a natural product like wood is a "good thing" - but it seems like we forget that something like wood changes dimensionally. If the parts are very closely fitted, then changes in climate may cause them to jam. It's a common problem and has to do more with tolerances that are too fine for the change in dimension.
I'll bet the joints went together fine at the factory.
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Author: skye
Date: 2003-06-30 21:59
I think I've said this before, but I'll risk being really boring and say it again lol. I had this same problem with my R13 but my teacher said it was to do with humidity levels in different countries, it's probably more humid here in Scotland than it is in France, my teacher took a penknife to my new R13 (aargghhh) and took some wood off, but it solved the problem, better than twisting keys trying to force it apart!!!
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Author: Kristian
Date: 2003-06-30 23:13
you should degrease the tenons with degreaser - i forget the name of the product - and then apply some techlube or alisyn cork lubricant from aerospace industries. this stuff works. you only need a pinhead of it per tenon too.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-07-01 00:23
Ummm...
What Messrs Charrette and Skye said apply directly to the problem...
There should be some limited force required to assemble the pieces
(the cork gasket must be air tight) but anything more than a light twist indicates the wooden portions are not in proper clearance.
Your local repair shop should be able to sort this out in a few days.
This is NOT the sort of thing to widdle around for awhile... you could generate a crack in the receiving end on assembly.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-07-01 04:56
The problem is 99% certain to be the timber jamming, not the cork.
To diagnose:
1. Clean off all the cork grease.
2. Apply a 'real' cork grease - one of Doctor's Products.
3. Does the joint start to 'grab' slightly as you put it together, even before the cork begins to enter the socket? If so, you have a swollen timber problem - at the outer end of the tenon. After this fit has been corrected so that it is free - BUT NOT WOBBLY! - try the test again. If it suddenly jams AFTER the cork portion has completely entered the socket, then you know that timber at the inner end of the tenon is also binding.
It is very important not to remove too much timber, and to remove it evenly. 0.001" may be enough.
It is quite likely that this process will need to repeated at a later date when timber acclimatizes even more.
If the manufacturer sold the instrument with 'sloppy' joint to allow for this problem, then players would scream even more. The fact that jamming occurs subsequent to manufacture is testament to the accuracy of manufacture.
However it surprises me that manufacturers have not found a way of making the timber more stable. I recall once reading about ethylene glycol (?) treatment being used for this.
This topic has been well covered before, and could be found by a search. Previous discussion includes (in my opinion ill-founded) dispute regarding whether it is the tenon that enlarges, or the socket that shrinks (in diameter). I point out, as I have done before, that the jamming never occurs for the mouthpiece, in my view this being because the mouthpiece is of a material where the tenon does not swell significantly, suggesting that shrinking of the socket diameter is not the issue.
Post Edited (2003-07-01 05:00)
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2003-07-01 05:43
Try Yamaha's in tropical or sub tropical climate. They swell and contract like nothing else. There is some questionable seasoning of the wood going on with all manufacturers. I would definitely let the dealer look at this one it will only get worse over time.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-07-01 10:09
Jamming joints here in Auckland is standard with new Buffets and Selmers. I don't see so many Yamahas or Le Blancs, so I cannot really comment on these.
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Author: Music Geek3
Date: 2003-07-04 02:21
I took it to my local repair shop and they had to take some wood and cork off the joints as I feared they would. But it goes together like a dream now!! The most well spent $12.89 I've spent in a long time!! As many of you have suggested, I will be looking into some new alternatives to cork grease and they won't be vaseline............Thanks so much for all the helpful advice!!!
MG3
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