 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Kurt
Date: 2000-01-14 23:20
What is the best way to check for leaks? I've heard a number of things here. Is plugging up one end of the intrument, closing all the keys and blowing work? I've tried that and it sounds like a good way in theory.
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Author: J. Butler
Date: 2000-01-14 23:29
To do a "general" leak test you can plug up the joint and then inhale (rather than exhale) and see if you can form a vacuum. I do this rather than blow, because you can blow open a key that has a weak spring rather easily esp on the top joint. The best way however is to use a leak light or feeler guage.
J. Butler
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-01-15 00:10
J. Butler wrote:
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To do a "general" leak test you can plug up the joint and then inhale (rather than exhale) and see if you can form a vacuum. I do this rather than blow, because you can blow open a key that has a weak spring rather easily esp on the top joint. The best way however is to use a leak light or feeler guage.
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You should do both if you don't have a leak light as it is possible to inhale strongly enough that a key that does not seat properly will seat when you inhale thus masking a leak that does exist.
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-01-15 05:18
If its a bad leak, you can find it quick with the blow method. Minute leaks are harder. A bent key or misaligned pad can be detected with cut strip of cigarette paper. The best yet I've found is the light. I have one incondesent(sp) that I use that is simply an auto guage light bulb (#1895) with two wires soldered to it and hooked to a 12V battery or Battery charger. Its draw back is that sometimes the standard clarinet/flute pads will glow so brightly that a small leak is still hard to see. My favorite is a 12" flouresent tube from the hardware store wired to a transformer out of an old bug zapper light. These do not have noticable shadows and small leaks are easier to find. Don't use the Capacitor coil from the bug light unless you want the Don King look.
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Author: michael
Date: 2000-01-15 14:41
Willie wrote:
If its a bad leak, you can find it quick with the blow method. Minute leaks are harder...Don't use the Capacitor coil from the bug light unless you want the Don King look.
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LOL! All you do-it-yourself people make me feel lazy. I'm also afraid I would overlook something. I think I still have a leak or two because my 3rd line B is still a little tempermental. I'll take it back to the dealer again to get it checked. ( I have been away from the board for a few days, and I'm about 250 messages behind in reading! )
Michael
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-01-15 17:02
I was making up a post last nite when Lelia's and my AOHELL cut me off with no warning, essentially to point out what Willie's [great] post and the others say , particularly about the pad/cup not being centered on the hole, or bent so much that the pad-ring is not a uniform circle. Those defects can really cause fast-fingering problems in my experience. Don
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Author: Aaron Hayden
Date: 2000-01-15 19:19
There are different causes of leaks.
1) The pad may not be seated properly
2) The pad cup my not be properly aligned.
3) The tone hole may not be even
4) The tone hole may have minute chips
5) The pad skin may have a minute hole or holes
6) The pad may not properly fit(too thick,thin,diam.)
7) The key has some slop, causing erratic seating
8) The regulation may be improper.
9) The pad may also take on too much moisture, causing swellng
Because of these different variables that a leak can occur, there is not a general way of testing for leaks.
When I test for leaks, I take each variable separately to narrow down the problem.
Aaron
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