 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Melanie
Date: 2001-04-20 04:39
Hi!
I have another question that may have been addressed in a previous post, but I'm not sure.
As I was inspecting my clarinet, I was shocked to see that the top bell ring (where it meets the lower joint tenon) was about 2 mm above where it should be, and I took it apart (normally the clarinet lives in a pouchette case), and it looked even worse from the inside. Nothing's cracked, but it concerns me greatly that the wood would be so swollen. How can I ameliorate this problem? Is there anything I can do?
Melanie
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Author: kaosangel
Date: 2001-04-20 12:24
I have to say...I love the use of vocabulary....I'd just umm...I dunno I'd probably freak out and take it to my conductor or teacher or something...
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Author: Cass
Date: 2001-04-20 12:39
If that clarinet was mine I would take it to a repair shop. It is worth a little money now to prevent disaster later if there is really something serious wrong.
To kaosangel, I don't understand your message about vocabulary. I thought that Melanie was absolutely right to ask this question and she gave a clear picture that this clarinet has a problem worth taking to a professional. It would be unfortunate to discourage her from asking this.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-04-20 12:48
Are you saying the bell tenon socket reinforcing ring is pushed on to its groove less than it was? If so, the timber has probably shrunk (very slightly) because of a dry climate. I'd just glue it back with heat and shellac or epoxy (This is not so easy if it is a plastic clarinet because heat can melt it, and epoxy can dissole the surface, but for timber, no problem, and any excess can easily be wiped off.). On the other hand, if the ring is still firm, but has moved somehow, just tap it back into place, using a rawhide hammer, or a piece of timber, tapping around the edge of the ring.
This is a minor problem.... The rings are normally just jammed on. Timber NORMALLY shrinks in extended low humidity.
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Author: Melanie
Date: 2001-04-20 20:49
To Cass:
I think kaosangel was alluding to my usage of the word "ameliorate," a common sight on high school vocabulary tests. Since I used it instead of "fix," she commented on my inclusion of a higher-level synonym.
To Gordon (NZ):
My clarinet is wooden. It had shrunk during the winter, and the top ring was loose (I live in South Carolina, USA). Perhaps when it was loose, it suddenly warmed up, causing the wood to expand. I still don't know what to do about it. I'm hesitant to force the ring back down onto the clarinet for fear of splintering wood or causing further damage.
Melanie
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Author: joseph o'kelly
Date: 2001-04-20 22:41
I have a similar problem with my R-13 A clarinet on the bell ring and both rings on the barrel. I also noticed that problem on my Moennig barrel were the wood shrunk and the rings are loose. I had a simmilar problem with my Festival Bb were the wood on tennons sweeld to were they would not fit in together all the way.
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Author: Chris Hill
Date: 2001-04-21 05:01
I disagree with the suggestion that you glue or epoxy the ring back on when it becomes loose. I would take it to a repair shop where they can fix it using paper shims. When the rings become loose, it is an indication that the wood is dry, and it is time to use a humidifier in the case. As for the ring being stuck in the wrong position, I would also take that to a good repair person. I used to work as a repair person, and found that people generally damaged their instruments when they tried to fix them at home. $5 repair jobs can become $75 repair jobs in a hurry. I once spent almost an entire afternoon fixing a home repair that would have been a free repair had I been allowed to do it correctly the first time. As it was, I had to replace a key and a post that this person destroyed.
Chris
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-04-21 07:15
Melanie the change in the timber dimensions are on accountr of humidity and therfore moisture content, not temperature. I think you'll find the ring taps on easily as I suggested. But if a repair tech is handy he/she should be able to do it for you in less than a minute while you wait. There is some truth is what Chris wrote.
Chris: I see little difference between using paper shim and glue/filler. The glue is easy to part if necessary. They are all the same in that they occupy space and cannot ooze out to adjust to a more moist environment later. The purpose of the ring is to keep the timber of the socket from coming under tension strain and splitting when the tenon is forced inside. Paper is better in that it can be forced in, hence putting the socket timber under compression, but a less resilient material is better in that if the ring becomes loose again the conition is more obvious and is more likely to be acted on.
One thing is for sure, there is a likelihood of splitting if the instrument is assembled with a loose ring.
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-04-24 00:52
Howzabout 'Blue Tak' or Poster gum for an adhesive?
It never sets hard, and acts as a fluid under pressure but remains sticky.
Cheap, too.
anji
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Author: Bob R
Date: 2001-04-24 13:29
I also live in South Carolina. I had the same problem with the three of the rings on my R-13. They all fell off. I simply glued them back on. They fit snugly, but were not forced on. The only thing I did was treat the wood to a proper bore oiling and let it sit for few days first. I wanted to be sure the wood was not going to swell up suddenly.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-04-24 14:49
Yes, Blue Tak acts as a fluid under pressure which means it gives absolutely no compressive support for the timber from the ring. Therefore it serves no function other than stopping the ring from falling off. As I hope I explained above, the ring has a vital purpose. A gap filled with Blue Tak does not enable the ring to serve its function of stopping the timber splitting.
As an 'adhesive' Blue Tak is extremely weak. As a gap filler required to stand some pressure it fails simply because it becomes fluid.
Chewing gum would be better because it eventually hardens!
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