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Re:

Author: gigaday
Date: 2010-07-10 14:26

Unabashed by the fact that I received the disapproval that I expected when I started this thread, I have pursued my experiments with pads a bit further.

If you recall I had used masking tape to repair a split pad. This worked fine but I discovered that the adhesive on masking tape dissolves in water so it didn't seem like a longterm solution. I looked at buying replacement pads but it all seemed a bit complicated and this hot glue business and making sure that they sealed properly seemed rather daunting.

So I went back to considering neoprene. Now people said (people that I know know what they are talking about) that a) they would make the feel very spongy and b) they were too easy to fit. <g>

It seems that you can't actually buy neoprene pads and frustrated by not being able to find a source of suitable neoprene, I bought a ladies' slimming belt for 2.50 euros - this contains enough 1mm neoprene to last me a lifetime. I had to peel the fabric backing off, but it came away easily. I removed the keys with faulty pads and cut the felt/skin tops off the existing pad with a razor knife (craft knife) leaving just the cardboard. With a small pair of scissors I cut a piece of neoprene and attached it with contact adhesive, when the adhesive dried I trimmed it to fit, again with scissors.

This worked perfectly for the two pads with split skins so I then went on the do all the pads on the upper joint. The only adjustment I had to make was to adjust the shim in the upper/lower joint link as the neoprene was very slightly different thickness from the original pad.

I don't know how long the neoprene pads will last, they have been on for a couple of months now and work fine. The fact that they are not perfectly round matters not at all and since the material in black you would have to look really close to notice.

They are not at all spongy, but then all the top joint pads except for two are normally closed.

And, for the record and the info of the person who said something like "we might as well be putting the pads on with Blutack", the Bb/A side trill key pad IS held on with Blutack as the glue came adrift. As it's normally closed I doubt it will ever be a problem.

I am only posting this for information should anyone else ever think of trying neoprene for pads on their horn. And would like to stress that I have the greatest respect for the professionals who repair instruments every day. I like to tinker with the easy things I wouldn't dare try anything that couldn't easily be undone should it go wrong.

Tony

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