 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Clarineteer
Date: 2012-11-20 23:27
I currently have a Conn 444N up on my bench and as I am doing a complete restoration I noticed some superior design features as compared to the French clarinets such as very deep grooves in the tenons which allows more contact cement to secure the tenon cork. Also the set screws for some posts that prevent pivot screws from backing out. There was a small scratch on the upper joint and while removing it with sandpaper the wood seemed much harder than the Selmer K Series that I worked on yesterday.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-11-20 23:44
Grooved tenons provide less contact area between the tenon and the tenon cork - you're best with a completely smooth tenon for maximum adhesion with no voids between it and the tenon cork.
As cork is flat and never grooved to match the tenon, it won't conform to the grooves cut in tenons and will only adhere to the peaks and not the troughs, so the contact area is less than half of the width of the tenon cork.
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In the olden days when shellac was used to glue tenon corks on with, the grooves provided more surface area for the shellac to bond to the wood. But with modern impact/contact adhesives, they work best on two matching surfaces - the best surfaces both being flat.
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Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Clarineteer
Date: 2012-11-21 00:25
Wouldn't deeper grooves allow more contact cement by filling the grooves and therefore resulting in better adhesion.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-11-21 00:41
Not really as the adhesive should only be applied thinly and evenly to both surfaces and left to become touch dry before sticking the cork to the tenon, so the best surface is a flat one for maximum contact between tenon cork and tenon.
As the adhesive dries, the thickness of the adhesive will shrink back so even if it is applied thickly, it won't fill up the grooves to the surface so there will only be contact on the peaks and voids left in between.
But applying the adhesive too thickly (to fill the grooves right to the surface) will prevent the solvent in the adhesive evaporating evenly, so the tenon cork will fail if the glue is still wet.
You don't see grooved sax crooks where the cork goes, nor do you see grooved areas on keys where key corks are glued to them (just as you don't see grooved bare kitchen worktops for glueing formica onto). They may be slightly roughened (eg. Buffet) but the best surfaces for impact/contact adhesive are two close fitting flat surfaces.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2012-11-21 02:26)
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Author: jasperbay
Date: 2012-11-21 01:05
Those little set screws that Conn uses on their high-end clarinets are a nice feature. Not only do they keep the screws from backing out, they allow for precise adjustment of the tapered pivot screws so as to remove end-play in the shaft.
Nice playing instruments too, I've ended up with several 424N models since they often sell for very little on 'that auction site', for a pro-level horn.
Clark
Clark G. Sherwood
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2012-11-21 13:33
Many techs think the tiny setscrews Conn used on some of the vintage clarinets and saxes are actually a pain in the butt. They tend to fall out when being loosened as they have a very short range of travel, and once out they're annoying to put back in, being so small. Many players and techs, not knowing the setscrews were there in the first place, have damaged the 'main' screw threads or heads by trying to back them out with the setscrews locked down.
Probably good reasons Conn stopped using them, and nobody else has.
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Author: Clarineteer
Date: 2012-11-21 17:13
I actually find it easy to install the screws by using just a tiny amount of Dr.Slick on the blade of the screw driver which holds the tiny screw as you insert it in the hole. I also have a number of spares from a parts clarinet I purchased a while back.
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