 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarinetgirl1022
Date: 2013-07-30 17:11
One of the screws on my clarinet keeps coming loose after only a couple minutes of playing. It is the one on the lower joint holding the rings keys in place, right next to the bridge key. I've been screwing it back in but it's starting to affect my one and one fingering and f sharp because it changes the location of the pad when it come loose. I've heard that putting nail polish on the screw will keep it in place but I'm nervous about putting anything on my clarinet. Is there a way this can be fixed? Or should I take it to a repair shop? My clarinet is a Selmer Odyssee. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2013-07-30 17:23
Go to you local hardware store and buy a tube of Loctite Blue 242 (should only cost a couple of dollars). This is made specifically as a threadlocking adhesive to keep screws from backing out. Apply one drop to the threads on the screw and then reinstall the screw. This will keep the screw from backing out but it will still be removeable using a screwdriver when necessary.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2013-07-30 17:36
For a screw like this I absolutely recommend Loctite Purple 222 and not Blue 242... though I'm colourblind so I'm going by the number
To clarify (since this was confusing in a past thread), the colour is of the Loctite material itself and not the bottle.
It's best to get the Loctite on the threads, but NOT where the hinge rod hinges on the screw.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-07-30 18:00
If the ring keys bind up solid when you screw the screw back in, then you'll need to get the screw fitted properly by having the end of the ring key rod countersunk slightly deeper so it fits properly - this has to be done by someone with the proper countersink and the key should move freely without the spring being hitched in place.
But if the screw can be tightened fully and the ring keys move freely, then a small drop of Loctite on the screw thread will keep it in place.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2013-07-30 19:02
The first part of Chris's advice is important. Loctite won't hurt anything, but it may only be masking a problem with the way the screw or rod itself fits. IMO Loctite or nail polish is effective first-aid until you can get the problem fixed permanently. Screws should be able to be tightened firmly without binding the keys that pivot on them. A screw or rod that keeps working itself loose is most likely binding against the sleeve somewhere inside (and turning a little every time the key pivots). Trying to leave the screw slightly loose so it doesn't bind the key is, again, first-aid, masking a symptom while contributing to a new problem, the screw working its way out.
So, it's important before you try Loctite (or nail polish or anything else) to hold the screw still to try tightening it firmly. If the key binds, have it checked by a competent tech. Chris may or may not agree with me, but I'd go farther and say that the only way a screw can keep working loose like that is if it *is* binding somewhere, because to work loose something has to be turning it. So Loctite may stop it from happening but doesn't eliminate the cause.
Karl
Post Edited (2013-07-31 01:28)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-07-30 19:15
"Chris may or may not agree with me, but I'd go farther and say that the only way a screw can keep working loose like that is if it *is* binding somewhere, because to work loose something has to be turning it."
That's the bit I forgot to add. Bect way to check this is to disengage the spring and screw the screw back in, then see if the ring key moves freely under its own weight (hold the joint horizontally and rotate it or press and let go of the key foot and see if the ring keys fall open and closed). If the ring keys stay put or feel very resistant, that's the root of the problem and the ring keys will need refitting.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2013-07-31 05:09
Your pivot screw is binding on the ring key. Take it to a competent tech. It is a ten minute repair at most. Don't use Loctite - something is binding and needs to be fixed. If not, it will just get worse.
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
847-266-8644
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2013-07-31 09:14
I've said it before and I'll say it again, the cause of binding is usually unlubricated parts. Are you applying oil regularly to pivot points and axles (recommended monthly)?
If there is good lubrication at the point, then you may also try tying a few loops of thread (you can experiment with thickness of thread) around the base of the pivot (at the head) which acts as packing material. This will enable you to tighten the pivot into the post without binding the rings.
................Paul Aviles
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2013-07-31 11:06
There are different types of screws. The fix depends on which type. And yes, that key often gets bent.
Steve Ocone
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2013-07-31 11:23
>> the cause of binding is usually unlubricated parts <<
That is sometimes the cause of binding, but much more often than not, it's not the cause. When it is, it's because a part corroded or rusted because it wasn't oiled or greased. The mechanism on a clarinet, if made accurately, doesn't work in a way where it needs lubrication to not bind.
To clarify, my post above about Loctite was specifically to recommend 222 instead of 242. It wasn't a general recommendation to use Loctite, regardless of the situation.
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