 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Rob F
Date: 2009-06-03 20:38
I need to tighten a loose pillar on a wooden B & H Emperor clarinet. It is the upper pillar (with spring) accommadating the F# alternate key (lower joint). The problem is that although the pillar is loose it will not unscrew. It spins with little pressure both clockwise and anti-clockwise. There is but a negligible clearance of the base of the pillar from the wood joint. I would welcome suggestions on how to deal with this please.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-06-03 22:25
Some people take out the pillar and put ground pumice into the pillar hole to pack it out, some cut a disc of abrasive paper and fit this on the underside of the pillar flange. But you can add a drop of superglue to the end of the pillar thread and screw it back in - the superglue will go off and take up any gaps in the pillar hole.
The bias of this spring should push this pillar into a tightened state, so when replacing the pillar, it should be tight in the body so the screw is running in line with the opposing pillar. But you can set it up so when the pillar is tight in the body, it's only slightly out by a couple of degrees at most before the screw lines up (but the screw thread will still go in easily and not beyond the point where the screw lines up), so the pressure of the spring won't make the pillar turn too much when the key is replaced.
Strong springs that push pillars anticlockwise are a pain, especially in older clarinets as the pillar will go out of alignment and this can cause the key to bind. So pillars are best fitted into threaded pillars where they will naturaly push the pillar clockwise as that keeps things tight.
With anchored pillars that have a base plate with either one or two screws to keep the pillar tight, make sure these screws are tight so the pillar doesn't rock or tilt as this can cause pad seating, regulation and noise problems.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Rob F
Date: 2009-06-04 04:53
Thank you for your reply Chris in which you make some interesting points. My main problem is that whilst I have considered the pumice powder, superglue solutions and so forth, I am unable to take out the pillar as it simply spins with any attempt. Any extraction using outward force with parallel pliers has proven somewhat risky. The attempt left a burr on the pillar which I had to overcome.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2009-06-04 06:42
The Emperor I recently saw had a bunch of loose pillars also. I don't remember for sure but I think they were threaded. If yours has threaded pillars, and this one just turns but doesn't come out, then it's possible the threads are ruined enough. So if you try pulling it out, which might be the only option really, try doing that while unscrewing it out.
Is it a wood clarinet? The only Emperors I saw were wood (unless I remember wrong) and these almost always have threaded pillars. If it's plastic it's possible the pillars are not threaded. Do you know for sure the system the pillars are mounted on your clarinet?
To make a pillar secure, super glue can work but I don't prefer to use that. Super glue is not great as a filler in some situation, and you can't really know how much of a gap you need to fill. Also you might want to adjust after the key is on.
I prefer epoxy and I usually use a 5-minute type. This allows more than enough time to put the key back, with the spring off its cradle, and make sure the key moves freely, etc. Then you don't have to wait forever for it to dry (as opposed to slow epoxy) but you can still clean if necessary. You can try 90 seconds epoxy, I have used that, but it's boarder line for speed and I wouldn't really recommend it. Wait for the glue to dry and then put the spring back.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-06-04 07:04
B&H clarinets have mostly threaded pillars except for some anchored pillars on the lower joint - the B/F# 'sliver' key is mounted on threaded pillars.
If the pillar thread in the joint has stripped (which it soulds like it has done), then the pillar hole will need to be bushed by drilling out the pillar hole, glueing in a wood or plastic bush, then redrilling and tapping it to take the pillar.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Chris J
Date: 2009-06-04 11:19
Although you mention it rotates clockwise and anticlockwise, by how much does it do this?
Does it just spin around freely in both directions, but neither moving up or down - or is it that it can move clockwise and anticlockwise away from its proper position, but gets stuck when trying to come out, or tightens to a stop (but obviously over-rotated) if screwed in.
If it is the later, then there may still be a usable thread and by carefully unscrewing it with a bit more force and leverage you might get beyond the binding bit of the thread and get it out. Then a collar as described by Chris P under the post might allow it to tighten into the correct position.
The post is going to have to come out anyway - unless you want to try a low viscosity super glue fed very carefully into thread from the end of a needle.
If the superglue option was tried by whatever means, would that make it more difficult to take apart for a definitive repair at a later date?
Chris
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-06-04 13:02
"If the superglue option was tried by whatever means, would that make it more difficult to take apart for a definitive repair at a later date?"
Not at all - warm the pillar in a flame and that will be enough to free it at a later date, and also won't cause any damage to the thread formed by suerglue.
As for pliers, you can make special pillar pliers by using a rotary burr to make opposing hollows in the jaws of a pair of pliers, then paper and polish it up to a bright shine so it won't mark the pillar head. You can then grip the pillar head with these pliers and they won't leave flats or marks on it as ordinary pillars will do.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Rob F
Date: 2009-06-04 17:51
Many thanks for all your replies. To be clear yes - the pillar is spinning in both directions - will not tighten or unscrew. When I get back to the workshop I am intending to take up your suggestion Chris P - making a pair of pillar pliers, thereby maximising my ability to extract the pillar safely. Once at that point I will consider the options such as the ones you have kindly posted on this thread. Thank you again all.
Post Edited (2009-06-04 17:56)
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Author: Rob F
Date: 2009-06-05 21:08
Further to my latest post I have now extracted the pillar. I rotated the pillar anticlockwise for about five minutes using light finger pressure. No perceivable change of outward signs of the pillar unscrewing except that it was now spinning more freely at the end of this period. I continued to spin the pillar for about another three minutes it seemed and by then the pillar had loosened such that there was some lateral play. A short moment later by continuing the spinning action the (threaded) pillar worked loose and came free from the joint. Job done. Thank you again for all your comments.
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