 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2013-09-29 21:30
Hi everyone,
For those who use 1" surgical tube with their thumbrests for ergonomic reasons: what diameter/size/product am I looking for?
Can't seem to find any specifics and would like a recommendation before I start ordering things online (no store in town with the appropriate product).
Thanks!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2013-09-29 23:31
5/16 ID - 7/16 OD on that purveyor of e-books site. About ten bucks.
Stick with "food grade" or lower. "Surgical" tubing is much more expensive.
I get mine at the hardware store, though. Just plain polyethylene or silicone tubing, not "food" or "surgical" grade. Any hardware store should have it.
B.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-09-30 02:37
Any surgical supply or medical equipment store will have the tubing. Ask them for silicone, not rubber. Ask them for tubing that connects an oxygen tank to a mask.
I got about 4' of it 30 years ago and have been snipping off pieces ever since. As I recall, it was very inexpensive.
Ken Shaw
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Author: donald
Date: 2013-09-30 03:22
For many years I have been using automotive fuel tubing. A former student of Elsa Verdehr introduced me to the surgical tube thumbrest concept in 1987, but I found fuel tubing much easier to source, and over the years have had no problems with it. I usually have lots of little spare bits with me in outer pockets/toolkit and routinely give these away to students.
A 30cm bit of fuel tube usually costs me about $5, and can be cut into smaller segments with scissors or a reed knife.
dn
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-09-30 03:51
Donald -
I use wire-cutting (side-cut) pliers. For me they work better than scissors or a knife.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2013-10-01 03:18
Donald -- I was able to find this as easily and cheaply as you described, but the smell of it is pretty bad. After ten minutes I was getting a headache, a I don't get headaches.
Is your product different or did you do something to it? The cost was so small I don't mind the loss, but I never thought I'd be put off so badly.
Bmcgar -- thanks for the lead -- I may be following up with it!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: donald
Date: 2013-10-01 05:14
I've never noticed a smell, or had it mentioned to me. That's odd. Sorry to hear about that- hang on, i'll find a bit and sniff it, and see if there're manufacturer details... hang on.....
my current tube is marked
"XL Fuel Line 3/8 inch 9.5mm SAE 30R7 Not for fuel injection systems made in USA by Gates"
If i sniff it (a 90cm long segement) i can detect a very faint smell, but from more than 5cm away there's no detectable odour.
dn
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Author: kdk
Date: 2013-10-01 13:23
I've been using pieces of the same 3 feet of surgical tubing I bought 15 or 20 years ago at a local medical supply store. At the time I compared it to the tubing I found at the nearby hardware outlets and found the medical stuff softer and more flexible. How do the other types of tubing people have been recommending here compare in flexibility and cushion-ability to surgical tubing?
Karl
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2013-10-01 15:00
The fuel hose is thick and firm -- it isn't "hard" at all. That said I'm not really looking for soft, just the extension.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: donald
Date: 2013-10-01 18:39
The length of tube i have now (details noted above) is actually a little bit harder than the one i used for most of the 1990's.... which was German fuel tube for a VW Beetle (and YES it DID give me a darker tone) ;-]
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2013-10-01 20:36
For a long time I used surgical tubing, and it was fine. Several years ago, I discovered the BG thumb cushion. It's a great product, as comfortable as or more comfortable than surgical tubing.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-10-01 22:18
I had mine platinum-plated. What an amazing difference!
Ken Shaw
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Author: kdk
Date: 2013-10-02 00:51
What? Your thumbrest or your BG thumb cushion? 
Karl
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Author: donald
Date: 2013-10-02 02:30
the cool thing about "tube" type thumb rests is that if you are lost in the bush you can get the thumbrest out and (by blowing pan-flute style) use it as a whistle to help guide the rescue team to your location.
(i WAS joking about the German tube giving me darker tone!)
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Author: Roxann
Date: 2013-10-02 13:47
I have a boatload of surgical tubing and would like to give this a try. How long are you cutting the tube? I think I'd like to give this a try on the A clarinet I'm using. I'm using the $40 Ton Kooiman on my Bb and LOVE it but don't have one for the A.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2013-10-02 15:12
Start with 1" and go from there!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2013-10-02 16:47
Home depot - giant roll and cheap! Rubber tubing, flexible, soft enough, yellowish color.
Changes to brown in about 2 weeks uniformly from the thumb oils - strange but true that the whole rest darkens, the unused stays bright colored
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2013-10-05 21:36
Finally found what I'm looking for:
Vinyl Tubing. 3/8" fits old R13 thumb rests well. 1/2" fits larger Buffet adjustable thumb rests.
1' of the tubing cost me 39 cents at Lowes.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2013-10-06 00:18
You are looking for TYGON and / or GRAFCO tubing.
The latter has latex for sure.
The latter is also used on sling shots and can be found in sporting goods stores.
Both come in various sizes. One online retailer synonymous with HUGE sells Grafco tubing.
Sometimes they are available in aquarium supply stores.
Disclaimer: Do not use the following means of appropriating tygon tubing unless you are a trained professional on a closed course.
I used to " liberate " what I needed from where I did most of my work: ![[happy]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley12.gif) From an operating room
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2013-10-08 13:33
"I used to " liberate " what I needed from where I did most of my work: From an operating room"
Was that small intestine, or aorta, or pieceof nostril, or some other tube?
Post Edited (2013-10-08 13:33)
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2013-10-08 13:55
Ear Tubes, presumably. For their acoustical qualities. ![[tongue]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie6.gif)
--
Ben
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2013-10-08 19:21
Amazing what I got.....surgical tubing for sure, but laparotomy sponges made the best cloths for application of wood stain and wax: no lint, washable, etc.
Tux, FWIW the ear guys often referred to their tubes as grommets.
And lets not forget "catgut" suture makes string for the fiddle players
(okay, so it was never gut, nor cat, but the traditional words prevailed).
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
Post Edited (2013-10-08 19:23)
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