 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: grannybflat
Date: 2011-12-25 13:21
I have a Conn Selmer Prelude and the cork has just fallen off the tenon joint, what glue can I use to stick it back on? It's a plastic clarinet. Thanks in advance.
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2011-12-25 14:28
Contact cement. But if you are going to do this yourself I recommend getting new cork and doing it correctly, since the old cork will continue to be a problem. (Kits with instructions are available, I get mine from an eBay seller in Canada.) You may be able to temporaily repair this before you get the cork by masking taping the cork in place. Some use plumbers teflon tape, but this is a bit messy.
(Mr) Laurie (Braaten)
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2011-12-25 14:45
If it came off in one intact piece, you can put it back on with contact cement (check the directions on the cement tube). Just keep in mind that you don't really have much if any wiggle room once the cement has dried on both surfaces - as you apply the cork around the tenon, it needs to be placed carefully on the first try.
If it's in pieces, you would be better off having a completely new cork applied - it isn't a hard job, but there's enough skill involved that you might want to have a repair tech do it for a few dollars (and watch to learn how) instead of finding the cork online, having it shipped (increasing your DIY cost) and then figuring out how to cut, cement and adjust the cork. Unless you're specifically looking for the experience of doing it yourself.
Karl
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Author: grannybflat
Date: 2011-12-25 15:53
Thanks guys. I have to search the bilge for cement glue and try to do the job myself there not being many techs on the high seas, fortunately it came off in one piece but it kind of spoilt my Christmas day.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-12-25 18:32
Don't panic. It's easy to make a temporary fix.
If one of my corks comes off, I usually tear off a short strip of newspaper and wrap the cork back on. Another possibility is to us a small piece of cellophane tape to hold the ends of the cork together. Use as little as possible to avoid expanding the diameter of the tenon and possibly cracking the socket.
The old-fashioned way to attach a cork is to take a piece of stick shellac, melt the tip in a bench burner flame and stick the cork on with it. I takes a fair amount of skill to develop the touch for handling the stick melted at the end.
If you have an instrument repair place withing a reasonable distance, you should get the work done there.
If the cork is the real stuff (not cork crumbs glued together), glue is fine. Epoxy works well and is easy for a repair shop to remove. However, don't use Super Glue, which repair people tell me is almost impossible to remove.
Ken Shaw
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Author: genekeyes ★2017
Date: 2011-12-25 22:58
Try replacing the cork with waxed dental floss. Wrap the tenon slowly and evenly until the socket fits a little on the tight side. The wax will compress and should last until you can get to a tech who can replace the cork. Used this solution on glass mouthpieces in the days before contact cement.
Post Edited (2011-12-25 23:00)
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2011-12-26 01:10
For an emergency first-aid fix, plumber's Teflon tape can also work well.
Karl
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2011-12-26 01:33
Ken Shaw wrote:
> If the cork is the real stuff (not cork crumbs glued together),
> glue is fine. Epoxy works well and is easy for a repair shop
> to remove.
How do you get epoxy off cleanly? My impression has always been that epoxy is very tough to pull apart once it's set (and needs to be clamped or otherwise held in place until it's set).
Karl
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2011-12-26 01:47
The key to ANY adhesive bond is proper surface preparation. Whether you use a new cork or re-use the existing pieces, FIRST remove all the old glue from the tenon by scraping off as much as possible of the old glue, THEN cleaning the tenon (and bottom of the old cork if re-using it) with a solvent such as acetone (nail polish remover). Give the solvent a few minutes to evaporate completely before applying the new adhesive. Contact cement is probably the best choice. DO NOT use any sort of epoxy!
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-12-26 08:34
Don't use solvents like acetone, toluene or trichloroethane on plastic clarinets to degrease the tenon slots as they can soften or dissolve the plastic - use alcohol (isopropyl, methylated spirits or denatured alcohol) instead.
Solvents are fine on wooden and plated (but not lacquered) metal clarinets as is alcohol, but be sure you know what the instrument is made from before using anything that could do any damage (even if it's cosmetic).
Safest bet if in any doubt on any instrument is to use alcohol for degreasing instead of solvents - even if you are careful, accidents can happen such as spills, runs or drips getting onto the joint surface and discolouring or marking them which is much harder to tidy up on plastic clarinets than it is on wooden clarinets.
Epoxy is only really used for permanently bonding metal to wood, plastic to plastic or ebonite to wood, but never used for glueing tenon corks on with. Use something like Evo-Stik or similar adhesive (the kind you'd use to glue formica onto chipboard with) where you coat both surfaces to be glued, leave for several minutes and then stick both glued surfaces together for an instant bond. Key corks can also be glued on in this manner.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2011-12-26 17:02
Chris, good advice re. solvents & plastics. I've seen a lot of melted plastics from solvents. I'd even avoid denatured alcohol, I don't use anything stronger than a little 70% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol). Citrus based cleaners like Goo Gone work well, but seem to leave a residue - isopropyl will be needed to clean that up (until the citrus scent is gone).
From your description, "ever stick" sounds like the UK equivalent of USA/ Canadian contact cement.
(Mr) Laurie (Braaten)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2011-12-26 23:23
I disagree, Chris P and LJ -- you can use acetone to clean old glue and prep the surface of the tenons on a plastic clarinets, just use a small amount and wipe it off immediately. The solvent is so volatile that in small amounts as described it doesn't have time to soften the plastic.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-12-26 23:35
I have to admit I've played it safe as some alleged ABS resin clarinets seem to be such low density I wouldn't trust getting acetone anywhere near them!
I have used it in the past (back in the '80s when it was sold in chemists) but didn't like the effect it had on some plastic instruments - I've found acetone does tend to leave a bloom on the surface of plastics which can be wiped off, whereas alcohol evaporates without that. Plus the fact acetone is no longer available from chemists anymore. I used to use it as Tippex or Liquid Paper thinner at school as it was cheaper than buying the branded thinner.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: grannybflat
Date: 2011-12-26 23:56
Wow. Thanks everybody. I cleaned the old cork with my pinkie fingernail, used methylated spirits on the joint and Aquadhere to glue the old cork back, held it in place with a couple of elastic bands and left until set. I'm now a happy clarinerd. I tried all through Phuket yesterday to find a tech but got so many blank looks it seems as though I will have to make a trip to Bangkok or hope that the temp fix holds until I get to Europe next year. I'm curious to see how long this will last.
What a wonderful resource this forum is.
Happy New Year to you all!
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Author: alanporter
Date: 2011-12-27 00:53
When Chris P refers to "chemists", it means "pharmacy' or "drug store" to those of us on the west side of the pond. Two nations divided by a common language.
tiaroa@shaw.ca
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2011-12-27 03:58
Grannybflat wrote:
>I'm now a happy clarinerd 
Glad you got it fixed. I must confess that the first time I glued on a loose piece of tenon I used super glue. It was a little difficult to scrape off, but fortunately I have tough nails.
(Mr. Laurie J Braaten)
Post Edited (2011-12-27 04:14)
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