 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2003-11-10 20:06
Every clarinetist talks about swedging the keys, but I've never known exactly what that is.
Is it similar to the welding term, where you apply heat to the ends of pipes to get them to fit together?
Help fill in the blanks for this very confused clarinetist.
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Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-11-10 22:07
It's how you get to the free bar when the pipe fitter's convention closes...
(It's the elongation, by mechanical means, of the keys for a tighter fit.)
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Author: Ray
Date: 2003-11-11 20:05
There is a soldering, not welding term, that you may be thinking of. It is "sweating", short for sweat-soldering. Its sometimes used on copper pipes.
Swedging is, as Mr. Botch says, a way to make keys fit better. Common applications on clarinet are the E/B lever and the F/C lever. You know when you can wiggle the end of the lever from side to side? The tube part of the lever no longer fits snugly onto the rod on which it pivots.
A repair technician can remove the lever and rod, and with special swedging pliers or a more elegant swedging tool, squeeze the tube down so it fits the rod better. This has the effect of lengthening the tube a bit. Usually this is desirable, since the tube ends have probably worn also.
This is part of a good overhaul, to produce solid and quiet key action.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-11-11 20:16
Swedging (or swaging in some parts of the country) is an old blacksmith's term for "drawing out" the length of a part using "swaging dies". It's derived from "wedging" as in getting a wedgie.
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Author: coasten1
Date: 2003-11-11 20:40
I've had the keys swedged on my clarinet. I guess I either press too hard, practice too much(lol), silver is softer than nickle, or a combination of the above. The swedgework can be done to a point to remove the play of the key on the rod between the posts before you ruin the keys. Also remember, humidity and temperature at different times of the year will effect the wood making it expand and contract. A good judge of needing adjustment is to see how much wiggle is in your keys during the winter when the wood contracts and the clarinet is at its smallest size. This will reveal the true amount of wiggle between the posts.
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Author: Ray
Date: 2003-11-11 20:55
Well, some of the need for swedging is caused by wear. Most keys are made of nickel silver which is not too hard, and the rods are usually some kind of steel, which is harder. So, the tube part of the key wears.
You can reduce wear two ways that I can think of: play less or oil your keys. OK, three ways: play less and oil your keys.
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