 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: BrianChau
Date: 2012-03-14 01:44
Attachment: crack.JPG (1320k)
Hello,
Yesterday before band rehearsal, as I was assembling my clarinet, I accidentally dropped the bell on the ground. Now, there is a crack that runs from the bottom to about 2/3 of the way up. It's barely visible from the outside, and it doesn't seem to affect the E/B. However, I don't want to risk the crack expanding or anything. Should I get it repaired, or just get a new bell?
Brian Chau
University of British Columbia Concert Winds
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Author: clarinete09
Date: 2012-03-14 01:55
I would say take it a repair tech asap, I think that crack can be repaired at least to give you some time to save up for a new bell!
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Author: bethmhil
Date: 2012-03-14 02:08
Bells are expensive! Just get it repaired. I (quite literally!) dropped an entire clarinet on a concrete floor once. The bell received the worst impact and a crack formed. My repair technician glued it and finished it with grenadilla dust, no problem. You can't see where the crack was at all. The bell does not go through the same amount of expansion and contraction that two joints go through, so it should hold up fine.
BMH
Illinois State University, BME and BM Performance
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2012-03-14 02:41
When one of my Backun bells cracked years ago he used super glue in the crack, It works great. He gave me a new one as well and said he couldn't sell a cracked bell but it should play the same as it did before, it does, I use it on my A clarinet. Super glue, put a small amount in the crack and hold it closed tightly but don't get any on your hand, you may not get it off the bell. ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: clarinete09
Date: 2012-03-14 02:46
Ed Palanker wrote:
> When one of my Backun bells cracked years ago he used super
> glue in the crack, It works great. He gave me a new one as well
> and said he couldn't sell a cracked bell but it should play the
> same as it did before, it does, I use it on my A clarinet.
> Super glue, put a small amount in the crack and hold it closed
> tightly but don't get any on your hand, you may not get it off
> the bell. ESP eddiesclarinet.com
Listen to Ed, his recomendation worked for me with my craked beel a week ago!
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-03-14 13:19
Kalmen Opperman and Peter Spriggs both told me that the wood in a bell is too thin to hold a pin. They recommended the thinnest formulation of cyanoacrylate instant glue (SuperGlue/Krazy Glue). For a thinner mix that flows into narrow spaces, dilute the glue with acetone (but beware the nasty fumes and **extreme** flammibility).
Peter said to make sure the upper and lower rings are snug and to keep the instrument well humidified.
Ken Shaw
Post Edited (2012-03-14 13:21)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-03-14 17:35
I've superglued many bell cracks and they've all held well provided the bell rings are both tight.
On B&H and other bells which aren't fitted with a lower bell ring, the bell lip is usually thick enough to be pinned if they're split at the lower end, or in the case of B&H bells, the decorative turning can be machined deeper and then carbon fibre banded, filled in and then machined to restore the decorative turning (beading) to make it look original. On socket cracks, they can be glued and further strengthened by carbon fibre banding if need be - if the socket ring is a good tight fit, then that should hold things all nice and tight.
But in most cases, bell cracks are best superglued and then tidied up to hide the repair.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: MichaelW
Date: 2012-03-14 23:49
Attachment: Barrel.jpg (124k)
I don’t like to use “superglue” (Cyanoacrylate) for such repairs as it it is said not to be permanently water resistant. I prefer thin two component epoxy resin without filler. To improve penetration of the resin I drilled 1 mm holes into the crack, in barrels in a row from the inside without hurting the outer surface (Foto!). With hairline cracks in bells I made at least one bore at the visible end of the crack hoping that would stop progression. I warmed up the wood a little before applying the resin. It is important to clean and degrease the wood before you begin the repair.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-03-15 00:30
While superglue may be said not be premanently water resistant in some applications which involve the use of it in submerged conditions for long periods, I can't honestly understand why it should be a concern when used in repairing cracks in timber where it will remain relatively dry, it creates a barrier at the surface and will be held together within the crack under compression.
The best thing about superglue is the way it wicks or penetrates into very small voids and spaces under capillary action without the need to drill any extra holes to help it (especially the very low viscosity formula) and bonds the surfaces together on contact.
I personally find Araldite and other epoxys when used as filler are far too slow setting and they don't leave a particularly good surface when cleaned up - I prefer to use superglue and wood dust as a filler as it can be worked on immediately and built up and shaped easily where needed.
I do use epoxy for other purposes (such as glueing sax bodies together at the bell joint or replacement tenons, tenon sleeving and refitting socket linings,) but don't find it any good as a filler, either for surface blemishes or for cracks.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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