 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: greene
Date: 2004-04-20 20:24
I have a pretty good clarinet that belonged to an older brother and I've recently become interested in playing. The rings on the bottom of the bell as well as some of the other rings seem to be very loose and I think I could even slide them off if I wanted to .. is that normal? How do you repair this? Is it a serious repair?
Any insight would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Henry
Date: 2004-04-20 20:30
It is not "normal" but quite common. It results from changes in humidity and drying out of the wood. In my own case, I had a good tech take care of this by "crimping" the rings with a special machine. I know from previous discussions here, that not everyone on this BB agrees with the wisdom of this procedure but my rings are still very tight after almost a year, with no ill effects.
Henry
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-04-20 21:27
While shrinking rings to tighten is a very good idea, to avoid cracking of sockets and bell, I'd suggest you [or a repairer] first treat the wood with almond or apricot oil [or The Doctor's bore oil] and expose the parts in an atmosphere of 40-50% Relative Humidity for at least a few days. This will "equilibrate" the wood to a playing environment, THEN have any loose rings tightened. An unplayed [dried-out?] clar may need TLcare to accommodate to playing, with out great risk of cracking. Luck, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Brad
Date: 2004-04-20 23:15
You might try the low-tech approah and put some fresh orange peels in your case for a few days. When the dry Santa Ana winds hit So. Calif. I get the same problem. A few days with the orange peels and the rings are nice and tight again. Makes your case smell good too!
Brad
Brad Cohen
Clarinetist
la_brad@yahoo.com
Post Edited (2004-04-20 23:17)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2004-04-21 08:00
One method of restoration is to oil the wood without the keywork, posts, inserts etc. until it goes back to size. The rings sometimes still need to be crimped or packed out. Some old French manufacturers appear to have used shellac to hold rings on. It is a technicians job and definitely not for a novice.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BobD
Date: 2004-04-21 12:18
The wood has dried out excessively and moisture content needs to be restored. The inside of the case has probably dried out also. My solution would be to place the clarinet sections in a plastic storage container(shoebox size) along with a small sponge soaked in water and wrung out...not touching the sections. Put the top on the container and leave it for a week and then check the rings. In the meantime open the case and leave it in an area of "normal" humidity....i.e. the kitchen and allow it to have its normal moisture content restored. Orange peels......an "ancient" remedy used by school kids. Forget it. Spray the inside of the case with Febreze if it stiinks. After the above treatment results in rings that don't move when you touch them have a clarinet technician examine the clarinet and give it a "tuneup". And remember....Sidney Bechet started out just like you ....on his brother's clarinet.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Peacham
Date: 2004-04-21 14:19
Assuming this "pretty good clarinet" is made of wood, I suggest you oil the wood. Then oil it again. And again. My (very limited) experience suggests that the difference between a bell ring that is firmly attached and one that rotates is very fine indeed, and oiling may be all it needs to make the wood expand that tiny amount necessary to take up the slack.
-----------
If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: mw
Date: 2004-04-21 16:59
Careful getting oil on the pads - Dr. Omar Henderson sells an excellent contraption & small application cloths for this purpose.
Consider: many clarinets can be kept together in the same environment, that is same temperature & same RHI. Some clarinets experience shrinkage (water loss) while others do not. Why is that? Does it have to do with how cells are closed off at surface, is it the nature of a piece of wood differing from another piece, could it be that the rings fit the tenons of the clarinet differently - different sized ring or different sized wood tenon?
These attributes & factors can interrelate, too.
Those who have said restore the water level are, of course, correct. One should also then examine the rings to see if some degree of ring shrinkage adjustment is called for. (opersonally I don't like epoxy or other adhesives)
Of course, if the hydration levels are monitored & the rings are examined on a regular basis, one will never experience the "delight" of a shrunken ring causing a crack upon re-installation - nor as the wood re-hydrates itself back to its old size (when thought to have achieved that state previously).
mw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Joel Clifton
Date: 2004-04-21 17:34
When I was looking for a Buffet to buy at Woodwind Brasswind early last year, I tried about 15 Buffets, and about half of them had loose rings, and quite a few of them were so loose I could remove them.
-------------
"You have to play just right to make dissonant music sound wrong in the right way"
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: susieray
Date: 2004-04-21 19:56
I also use the orange peel treatment on just about every old clarinet I have ever acquired...normally they haven't been played for a long time and the wood has shrunk. It seems to work real well for me.
sue
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
