 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2003-10-13 15:37
Hi,
I just got a very nice Buffet Academy clarinet but the barrel has a large but clean crack over the entire length. I checked with my favorite tech and was told that a barrel was too thin to pin and only glueing would work. He seemed a bit reluctant to undertake the work.
While I do handle some small repairs, me trying to fix this crack is above my experience; I also do not have the proper equipment. I have checked past posts on the subject but could not find a complete answer to my dilemma.
Here are my questions:
1. Can the barrel be pinned or is glueing the best; I'm sure it is not too difficult?
2. Who does this kind of work?
3. What should something like this cost (the rings will need to be tightened as well which may have been a part of the problem)?
4. The bell ring is loose; oil it for awhile or just get the ring pressed back tighter? It would seem that if the barrel rings are loose as well, the clarinet needs some moisture (both the bell and the barrel are residing in the bathroom right now).
Thanks,
HRL
Post Edited (2003-10-13 16:00)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-10-13 17:27
Hank,
Here's what I've done with long through-cracks in barrels and bells (successfully as far as I know, but it will take years to find out for sure): (1) Remove the metal ring; (2) Spread the crack slightly and carefully, preferably by wedging some sort of conical-shaped object into the bore of the barrel or bell; (3) If possible, wipe inside the crack itself with a bit of acetone/nail polish remover; (4) Fill the crack with 'gel-type' cyanoacrylate glue (e.g. "superglue"); (5) Immediately remover the 'spreader' device as soon as the glue is in the crack; (6) Hold the barrel or bell together with your hand for a couple of minutes until the glue sets; (7) Replace the metal ring, using paper or other shims as necessary to obtain a tight fit.
There are some additional steps that can be taken to improve cosmetic appearance, but I think I've outlined the basic steps that have worked for me in the past.
Gordon (NZ)? John Butler?
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-10-13 17:36
Part 2: In my post above I assumed the crack went all the way through from OD to ID, upon re-reading I see this may not be the case. If the crack doesn't go all the way through the diameter, what I sometimes do (please hold the flames for a minute) is to actually widen the crack slightly at the outer surface, using a Dremel, to make a narrow trough (think 'funnel') to allow the superglue to flow into the crack, then fill the 'trough' with regular low-viscosity superglue (not the gel-type this time) --- the trough will direct the glue down into the body of the crack; then fill in the top of the trough with some grenadilla powder; then when all is dry you'll have to sand and polish the barrel or bell in the repaired area (and preferably the entire piece to get a more uniform finish). The repair will be evident, but not too obtrusive. Hopefully there is a better method than this out there, but this is what I've come up with on my own. It's almost as scary as it sounds, but can be done.
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-10-13 17:57
My experience is not sufficient to attempt a crack repair in the upper or lower joint, but barrel or bell repairs are really not that complex. Pinning or banding should hardly ever be necessary with barrels or bells, and repairs such as desribed by David sound fine to me. However, be certain that your spreading of any crack is very slight, or the barrel might not survive the repair.
I am an absolute non-believer in ring-tightening. Surely, no one actually believes metal expansion causes loose rings? Loose rings are indicative of shrunk wood caused by moisture loss, and drying of the wood can certainly cause cracking. Bore Doctor used rather liberally will replace lost moisture with proper oil. If instead it is replaced by water, the water will leave the wood again when it's exposed to low humidity. Non-volatile oil will remain in the wood, preventing extensive expansion and contraction. Perhaps I have led a sheltered life, but I have never heard of cracks forming in a well-oiled Clarinet.
Regards,
John
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-10-13 18:18
I heartily agree with Dave's 2-situation answers, and JMcA's comments, I try to keep my good horns oiled and have had no problems, Knock Wood [gently] . I have several oldies cracked/repaired, so when I suspect the repair is leaking slightly, I cut a strip of black elect tape and place it over the crack to see if that is the leak, not pads. Its unobtrusive [usually] and provides some security!! Gives me something [else] to do! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2003-10-13 18:31
Gentlemen,
I had considered the Super Glue repair and it seems pretty straight forward and not too complicated. DS, the crack is all the way thorugh from OD to ID. I'll try to figure out something conical to force open the crack and go from there. Wife has lots of nail polisher remover.
For the shims on rings, small pieces of paper, right?
Thanks, guys. Can't beat the price! Now where did I put that grenadilla powder?
HRL
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-10-13 21:06
For grenadilla powder, if you have any old worthless wood clarinet part, you can use a flat file and just file away at the part over a piece of paper until you've collected enough powder for the job. I use an old cracked barrel(!) as my 'powder donor'. The price is right indeed.
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2003-10-13 22:39
DS,
Thanks. The price is certainly right.
Let's see, should I sacrifice a Chadash or Moenning barrel or possibly that classic old R13 that is cluttering up the closet. Kidding, of course (sometimes the Buffet mafia need a little teasing).
HRL
Post Edited (2003-10-14 02:59)
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Author: Fred
Date: 2003-10-13 23:18
Hank, was that "kidding" or "kindling"?
OOPS . . . MY BAD.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-10-13 23:37
With the damp climate here, I've never encountered a crack going through to the bore. So I regard any glue as a filler rather than an adhesive. A filler such as CA, which sets very rigid, need some width to reduce the stress on it as the timber attempts to move a little in the future, i.e. using somewhat exaggerated figures, the glue/filler at the outside of the crack may cope with timber expanding across the crack by 0.01 mm from a wide 0.50 mm thickness to 0.51 mm, but it is unlikely to cope with expanding the same 0.01 mm from a narrow 0.1 mm to 0.11 mm. That is 2% expansion versus 10% expansion.
I think most has been covered here.
I apply Sellotape, or similar along either side of the crack before applying glue. This greatly facilitates levelling the surface and cleaning up afterwards, because the tape stops glue getting where it is not needed. It also acts as a visual indicator when you have sanded very close to the surface of the timber.
I find that I usually have to alternate the glue and the grenadilla a bit, until the added material is proud of the surface.
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