The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Previous Message | Next Message

Re: Clear enamel for tone holes and tenons

Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-09-02 00:33

For toneholes I use hard black wax (the stuff cobblers use) which is applied to the sides of the tonehole and fashioned with a heated piece of round section brass or steel (whichever I have to hand) and then use twist drills (twisted by hand - not mounted in an electric drill!) to remove the required amount to bring the note into tune while still retaining a circular tonehole.

Again this is instant in that it is ready to be worked on once it's cooled, and there's no having to wait around until it's dry before adding to or removing it to get the tuning right. Liquid shellac takes too long to harden as do other varnishes and lacquers.

But any kind of wax will work, though it's best to use a high temperature one such as the hard shoe polish that comes in triangular blocks.

The wax jewellers use to make lost wax castings is hard and melts at high temperatures though I don't know how easily it will stick to the inside of a tonehole http://www.positiveflow.com/wax.htm.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics