 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: clarimad
Date: 2010-06-01 06:39
What tips can you provide for when springs break flush with pillars and how do you go about removing them?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2010-06-01 07:14
You probably need a repairman to do the job correctly.
If you want to try this yourself you have to pop out the broken pin. The best way to do this is use another new pin, smaller than the one that broke and at the post, tap the new pin with a small hammer and this usually pops out the broken pin. Sometimes this works, sometimes it requires more force.
There is actually a repair tool that is made to do this, but by the time you buy one a repairman can fix this, adjust the tension, in 5 minutes.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2010-06-01 07:18)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: RoBass
Date: 2010-06-01 08:52
But if the spring hole was not bored penetrating, the pop-out-method wouldn't suceed ;-( Then you have to bore first the opposite end free...
Sometimes a warming of the pillar could help (pillar material extends faster than steel and looses the spring inside). But you have to dismount the pillar for. That's a very special operation - not do by yourself, if you aren't a skilled clarinet overhauler ;-)
kindly
Roman
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2010-06-01 09:54
Using the method Bob Bernardo described, to tap the spring with another pin, it is very important to either support the post or remove it in case it is a threaded post. For support you can use a wood block at the back of the post, it is helpful if you have someone else to help you.
Broken spring removal pliers almost always work for this. There are several different types and some are better than others but even the most basic ones (such as these http://www.musicmedic.com/catalog/products/tool-pl104.html) usually work.
I'm not sure what RoBass means with "But if the spring hole was not bored penetrating, the pop-out-method wouldn't suceed". Maybe he meant the spring broke in a way with some burs or slightly crooked so doesn't go through the hole, but this doesn't really happen if the spring broke flush or inside the hole. But RoBass said "spring hole" so it's confusing since the hole doesn't penetrate anything.
Post Edited (2010-06-02 04:48)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: RoBass
Date: 2010-06-01 10:18
Some of my clarinets have needle springs set in holes not drilled through the post completely. There's no possibility to push the rest of the needle from the opposite.
kindly
Roman
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2010-06-01 10:54
RoBass, I've worked on over 126 different brands of clarinet, and never encountered what you describe. In ever case, the hole is drilled right through the pillar.
When a spring is mounted, one end i flattened, and the other end passed through the post until the flatten end can be forced into the post to stop the spring coming loose or rotating
I'd be most interested in what brand of clarinet you have, where the springs are mouinted ina different way. And what is that way?
I wonder if your springs are simply such a good fit that you cannot see the end of the spring flush with the pillar.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: RoBass
Date: 2010-06-01 12:19
@Gordon: Oh yeah, might be so. My clarinets are made by Amati and Uebel mostly. Some are older and younger Asian instruments, and two are of unknown provenience (but assumed to be from German smaller makers in the early of the 20th century). I will inspect my two clarinets, where I found the posts without hole, very well and correct my answer, if I failed - of course ;-)
Could be as stated by you, but I didn't see any rusting end, but the springs itself are rusty allover.
kindly
Roman
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2010-06-02 03:10
Thats a pretty good price for the pliers. I have 2 of them, different designs, and the cost was tripled! $20 is really a wonderful price. My feeling is every clarinetist should own one and have an assortment of spring sizes, including sax springs.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jasperbay
Date: 2010-06-02 04:57
Make a tiny punch out of a short piece of the broken off spring ( or equivilant diameter piece of sewing needle , straightened coil spring, etc.), hold it in needle-nosed pliers, and tap the hidden piece out with a small hammer. As Gordon points out, the butt end of the spring is flattened to prevent spring rotation , you don't want to tap that flattened end through the pillar, but back out, the way it went in!
I use a 1 lb. block of lead behind the pillar to prevent the pillar from breaking out of the wood. The heavier backing block seems to make the hidden piece of spring pop out easier too. If rusty, put a drop of penetrating oil on the stub overnight. I've never had to unscrew a pillar to use heat, but last resorts sometimes need to be used!
Clark G. Sherwood
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: RoBass
Date: 2010-06-02 08:44
@Gordon: You were right ;-) The posts are well flattened with the spring. It's only to figure out, if used heavy glasses ;-) I beg for pardon!
kindly
Roman
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2010-06-02 11:49
"I beg for pardon!"
Pardon given. 
I agree, a lead backing block, rather than timber, is far better if impact is going to be involved.
Also, a significant length of needle spring of typical needle spring diameter actually makes a very poor punch, because it actually has quite a lot of compressibility and opportunity to buckle, which greatly reduce impact.
Any removal of a spring stump using impact runs a fairly high risk of the punch sliding off the spring, and impacting on the post itself, leaving dents around the spring. And this makes it increasingly difficult to keep the punch on the spring. It can also make the end of the spring increasingly impossible to even locate.
All of which are excellent reasons why the plier method is a lot better. Applying steady force, with perfect alignment, rather than applying an impact, has zillions much more control.
With impact, you may strike it lucky with some relatively loose spring stumps, but sooner or later you will strike a tight one, and mess things up a fair bit without much success.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
