The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Maestro_6
Date: 2009-11-19 03:03
The bell on my Bb R-13 is stuck on the lower joint after about an hour in the car, stored in the Buffet double case, so the bell was stored that way. I swabbed the bore and the each of the joints (including the bell) before storage as I regularly do.
The bell can twist sideways but it doesn't budge at all to come actually off. It cannot go in my Bb case now... Any ideas?
Post Edited (2009-11-19 03:12)
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2009-11-19 04:02
Don't leave your clarinets in the car?
All kidding aside, when you have a case which leaves the bells attached to the lower joint, you need to be extra careful with them. Greasing after playing, when putting the instrument away, is a good way to go.
As far as getting it off once it's stuck, take it to a reputable repair tech.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-11-19 07:21
Is the bell turning freely but staying put (in that it won't come off)?
What can sometimes happen is the cork can stick to the inside of the socket and the glue bonding the cork to the tenon fails causing the cork to come unstuck from the tenon, but it will rotate in the tenon slot.
Whenever using the Buffet double case, make sure the bells only go on half way on the tenon as that will prevent them sticking, and reduce the likelyhood of the tenon cork becoming compressed.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Maestro_6
Date: 2009-11-19 10:32
That description is right on Chris. It'll turn freely, yet not come off. I have a performance today that requires my A clarinet, so I'm using the double case anyway, but I'm taking it to a tech latter to the performance to get the tenon cork redone. Thanks for the input.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-11-19 12:34
Make sure the tech doesn't make the cork to thick, it should go on and off with relative ease once greased, but not too easy of course. Than take the advice given above. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Maestro_6
Date: 2009-11-20 03:25
Go figure.
I couldn't get it to the tech until 3 PM, yet I had 2 performances prior to that. The first performance, the bell came right off. Nothing is broken or in need of fixing! I guess warm conditions from actually playing it was the trick. I immediately greased it and stored the clarinet in the double case with the bell half-on the lower joint. Works like a charm!
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Author: BobD
Date: 2009-11-20 10:49
Yes....perhaps the gig was a cooler location than the car.
Bob Draznik
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2009-11-20 13:14
Get a new case...one that allows you to store the instruments with the bells totally detatched. These cases that leave the clarinet partially assembled are not a good idea for any quality clarinets.
Jeff
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-11-20 15:34
GET A YAMAHA DOUBLE CASE!
I can't state that any clearer.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2009-11-21 09:05
Hypothetical question for the repair ppl-
What if it had not come off easily? How would you remove the bell in this situation? Is there a "good" way??
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-11-21 10:51
The only thing to do is to try to rock it until it comes off - you can hold the bell so the flare is flat on a tabletop with one hand, and the other hand can gently rock the lower joint in all directions (rock it in opposing directions each time, gradually working all the way around) while pulling at the same time.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2009-11-27 14:50
Putting the stuck joint in the refrigerator for a while sometimes works. Worth a try.
Tony F.
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2009-11-27 17:02
I have only failed once (to date) but a few years back a customer brought me an R13 with stuck bell and absolutely nothing I did would free it.
Bell was revolving and cork was definately firmly fixed to the bell and spinning on the tenon.
Customer then admitted it had been stuck already for more than 12 months!!
We decided that it was going to have to stay that way or risk breaking tenon.
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Author: Joarkh
Date: 2009-11-27 21:00
Tony F wrote:
>>Putting the stuck joint in the refrigerator for a while sometimes works. Worth a try.
I wouldn't have done that to one of my clarinets, sounds like a very dramatic change in temperature.
Joar
Clarinet and saxophone teacher, clarinet freelancer
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2009-11-27 23:55
"We decided that it was going to have to stay that way or risk breaking tenon."
It seems that this might be the only option sometimes. If it were a barrel, the wood is much thicker, but on a bell the tenon and the socket are so thin it seems that maybe cutting the bell would be the only "option".
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Author: BobD
Date: 2009-11-28 14:52
How about dripping some solvent like isopropyl alcohol around the joint with the idea of dissolving the cork cement?
Bob Draznik
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2009-11-28 15:36
> Bell was revolving and cork was definately firmly fixed to the bell and
> spinning on the tenon.
Yeah, that sucks. Recently had one that did that, too.
Try to drip oil into the tenon groove and let it wick in. Eventually the cork will stop sticking to the bell receiver and you can remove it.
(the wood can't swell from oil alone, or not to a degree that must be considered dangerous)
--
Ben
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