 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: wjk
Date: 2003-10-20 00:08
Yes, I have a R-13 Bb clarinet Left sided F#/C# key question. I noticed that the action of this particular key is a little stiff. On examining the clarinet, I notice that the spring that regulates this key actually goes through the body of the clarinet before it hits its post. Is this normal? Why is this clarinet designed this way?Should I have the action adjusted, or will it loosen over time? Thanks!
Post Edited (2003-10-20 00:52)
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Author: Henry
Date: 2003-10-20 00:29
WJK: I don't have a R13 so I can not check the arrangement you are talking about. But I'm not even sure which key you are referring to. Is it the C#/G# or the F#/C# key? And what do you mean exactly with "the spring that regulates this key actually goes through the body of the clarinet before it hits its post"? Can you be more explicit?
Henry
Post Edited (2003-10-20 00:31)
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Author: wjk
Date: 2003-10-20 00:48
I'm referring to the F#(lower octave)/C# key. The spring actually goes through a channel in the body of the lower joint.
Thanks!
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Author: wjk
Date: 2003-10-20 00:53
(I edited the title and the post to make it clearer---Thanks)
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Author: msroboto
Date: 2003-10-20 01:18
I just checked out my R-13 and I think I see what you mean the spring is in the wood under the mechanism for the RH F#/C# key. I guess it's normal if you got it and I got it.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-10-20 01:20
Are you sure that it is not the rather standard configuration of the spring mounted on the KEY, and pressing against the side of a groove in the timber near the post?
I don't know why makers do this. It often has quite a bit of friction originating from a place one cannot see, in order to check as to why. The idea is silly in concept because it puts a lot of robbing force on a VERY small area of timber, which myst cause problems as the timber wears.
It could be that the spring is pressing against something at the end of that groove. Perhaps even some metal associated with the post. You could take a fraction of a millimetre off the end of the spring.
It could be that the point of the spring digs into the timber of the groove a little (as it rubs along the groove slightly when the key is operated.) You could bend the last 1/2 mm away from the timber.
Also, this key often has a sluggish action simply because the diameter-to-length ratio of the spring is (unnecessarily) large. It would be easy to make the spring longer by moving the mounting along the key, but the manufacturers often don't! Hmm!
The EFFECTIVE length of the spring may have been set up to be even shorter by making contact with the END of the groove, rather than further along. A small correction can be made by judicious bending of the spring.
An improvement can be made by machining a more appropriate groove in the metal at the base of the post. To my knowledge, this is the way it used to be made some years ago, but I guess that just takes a little too much time for the bean counters of today.
Sorry, but I'm not painting a pretty picture here of dedication to good design.
I estimate that about 1/3 the work I do is correcting poor design and manufacture on instruments.
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2003-10-20 01:34
Are you sure it isnt because the key itself is binding in the posts?
Alterations in humidity can do this.
Try backing out the screw one-half turn...if that fixes it, then use dampits or similar humidifiers.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2003-10-20 01:35
Dang, the F#/C# spring must be the Loch Ness Monster of the R-13. I could find the right-key one all right, but after 10 minutes with a flashlight, I could only find things that "might be" said spring on the left (though the E/B was easy to find). Did you have to take it apart to find the spring? How old is your R-13? (Mine's coming up on 2 years)
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2003-10-20 06:57
ok i looked on my r-13 too and it's the same too. didn't have a problem with it since i got it in 1992 so i don't think it's a problem.
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Author: donald
Date: 2003-10-20 12:13
this key is stiff because the wood has started growing around the spring- what you need to do is spray it with "round up" (a totally harmless pesticide according to US corporate sponsored scientists) and then (after licking the excess off with your toungue) prune the clarinet with a special clarinet pruner that you can buy from WALLMART for only $1.00 (VANDOREN sell it for E 50.00, you'll have to look up the exchange rate to work out how much that is in US$ sorry)
if you like, you can plant a "non GE" lower joing that will actually fertilise itself and grow in time for spring... then you won't have any problems with your spring (but you'll have to pick the snails off, at least you won't grow any cancerous lumps). This technology is available at your local health food store or any enterprising instrument repair studio.
donald
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-10-20 14:40
I don't have those products. Donald, is that because because my visually-sophisticated and stimulating customer reception area does not qualify as a "repair studio". Or is it because it is not enterprising".
Any suggestions for me to get into the 21st century? Actually I thought I was attending to the "timber growth" problem and the "spring" problem in my attached orchard area, and with the macadamia nuts & walnuts drying in the bags around the customers' entrance. Is that not the way other technicians do it?
Help me please, Donald! I did not realise you were a consultant in this area.
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Author: wjk
Date: 2003-10-20 14:45
Thanks for the advice Don---can you recommend a tech to do this please. I'd prefer the most expensive one possible.
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Author: CPW
Date: 2003-10-20 15:05
I prefer Triox. they changed the name of the product recently.
Ortho makes it.
Dang, they also make birth control pills.
I know...it is an attempt at budding by the wood. Or....a remnant of a conjoined twin.
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