 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Etude
Date: 2013-06-21 20:34
Today I saw a video about a product that I believe is new. The product's name is "Neverwet." Basically you spray a coating on an object, wait 15 minutes, and then spray another layer of different 'stuff' and then water brushes off the surface you sprayed it on. In the video they showed someone pouring chocolate syrup on a shirt and it slides right off and other silly things. I thought of a couple possible uses for the clarinet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZrjXSsfxMQ
I will say that I am not very knowledgable on how moisture works on the inside of a clarinet. But, if someone somehow applied, maybe a 1/2 centimeter (or less) width band of this stuff around the circumference of certain toneholes (inside the bore), would it prevent water from getting into the toneholes? So that it won't make "the gurgles" with the water in the holes that tend to happen after playing lefthand Eb/Bb key, or the lefthand C#/G# key for awhile? This is working on the assumption that this is caused by moisture running down the walls of the bore. So the water would run down the bore, and when it gets to the treated spot, it would slide around it and stay out of the hole. Watching in the video the way water reacts to coming in contact with the treated spots, it seems that it would go around the treated area, instead of just sliding over it.
Or does the moisture get to those less desired spots because it is in the air we push through the horn, and when open those toneholes, the air rushes out and deposits the moisture then? I'm not sure.
But, would preventing water from getting there make it so that those areas would dry-out and crack? I'm not sure how sensitive the wood would be to this, or if moisture absorbed by the clarinet is able to shift far enough within the wood so that it could get to the spots from within the wood anyways.
Another idea is just coating the pads with it so moisture leaves them alone.
Anyone have any thoughts on these thoughts? :0)
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2013-06-21 22:12
Etude wrote:
> Watching in the video the way water
> reacts to coming in contact with the treated spots, it seems
> that it would go around the treated area, instead of just
> sliding over it.
>
Or would the water just slide *over* the stuff and end up in the hole anyway? The only way to find out would be to try it.
David suggests using bore oil for the same purpose. A lot of players also use paraffin - melted onto a screwdriver blade or some other applicator and applied while still liquid to the bore around the perimeter of the hole.
Karl
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2013-06-22 00:11
i would be very reluctant to put some chemical mixture into a natural wooden horn. Half the time when I get water gurgling, I can actually such it out through the mouthpiece without skipping a beat. I wouldn't want to be sucking up chemicals.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2013-06-22 00:44
I've tried the original posters idea using an automotive silicon spray applied with a Q-tip to see if I could prevent a persistent case pf the gurgles. It worked fine and I've applied it to several other horns since. I've also experimentally treated a gurgly pad with the stuff. That pad still functioned as it should and sheds water like a duck. Following the success of that, I treated all the pads on a Bundy that I use outdoors. Everything works as it should and has for the last couple of years. No sticky pads.
Tony F.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2013-06-22 11:43
Just my 2 cents... Water may flow over it, or around it, but that does not stop moist air condensing on it if that surface is cool.
What happens to that condensed moisture on a hydrophobic surface?
My guess is that the tiny droplets join together and flow somewhere. And ia guess that could be into a tone hole.
The complete opposite concept has a hydrophilic surface, that encourages any condensed moisture to spread evenly over the surface - to seep along that surface if encouraged by gravity. And that would seem to discourage water drops from collecting in tone holes.
Which is better? I don't know.
BTW not all bore oils are totally hydrophobic.
Post Edited (2013-06-22 11:45)
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-06-22 19:15
Neverwet is probably the same as or similar to Rain-X, which has been discussed several times.
Like Gordon, I worry that condensation droplets will get more easily into the holes.
Duponol has the same action and effectively ends clogging in narrow recorder windways. Be warned that it has a horrible taste.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2013-06-23 01:09
Teflon powder, rubbed in, hates water.
Another option is 3M's fabric protector.
Post Edited (2013-06-23 01:09)
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2013-06-23 02:28
You guys are running a terrible risk spraying stuff in your horn that tastes bad and you end up swallowing. Teflon products are supposed to be harmful when they get over-heated in a pan and vaporize and afterwards you breathe them in. I'd hate to think of what these kinds of products do when they end up in your bloodstream. I'd stick to sweet almond oil even if it doesn't work quite as well.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2013-06-23 11:19
PTFE (Teflon) is quite stable at normal ambient temperatures. It begins to degrade at around 255C and breaks down at around 350C. If your clarinet ever gets to this temperature then PTFE outgassing will be the very least of your problems. Some of the early non-stick products were dangerous when heated, but current products seem to be safe under any conditions likely to be encountered by a clarinet.
Tony F.
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