 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2015-09-08 18:24
I've abandoned and disassembled my barrel mics- that's another thread. Now nearly all of my barrels, including 3 I have for sale on "that site", have small holes that I've sealed up with Marine Goop. Cosmetically they mostly look pretty good on the outside- I could work harder and make them perfect- but if the patched side faces the player, who would ever notice?
But... many of you here on BBoard are freakish about the slightest change to the shape of the acoustic space of a clarinet (you know who you are). And some say the barrel is 2nd only to the mouthpiece in importance. So- would you be worried about the effect of a 1/8" hole that (after sealing) is perhaps halfway or more through the barrel wall? If so, I guess it would not matter whether it's sealed with goop, or with a barrel mic- you must think any barrel mic setup is inferior in how it plays. Of course, most of us would be unsure unless we could A/B test identical setups with and without a hole, and even then we probably would not trust our impressions- what with placebo and nocebo effects. So why take a chance?
So perhaps I should do better repairs on my remaining barrels. I was thinking about taping over the hole on the inside, filling the hole with superglue, then removing the tape and sanding it smooth. Sounds like a lot of work, with the potential of an equally imperfect interior when I got done- even if the sanding were perfect (not likely), I would have locally increased the diameter. And if the hole is a big deal, so would be a diameter change.
Any of you think my drilled barrels are candidates for the trash can? Just so I know where I am...
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2015-09-08 19:47
Try wrapping a piece of dowel with teflon tape until it is a tight sliding fit in the barrel. Then fill the hole from the outside with something like Araldite. If you mix the Araldite in a cup and then place the cup in hot water for a few seconds the Araldite will be thin enough to pour gently into the hole. Fill it to within about 5mm of the top. When its cured (overnight) just withdraw the dowel. The bore will be smooth inside and you can then finish the outside cosmetically to suit yourself. Superglue and wood dust and some sanding will make the hole invisible.
Tony F.
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2015-09-08 20:52
Thanks, Tony- great directions. I had to look up that Araldite is a brand of epoxy. The Teflon tape on a dowel trick should make the inside smooth as glass. Once the holes are truly gone, the acoustic questions will be moot.
I'd still like to know- any chance the imperfect barrels have made certain notes more difficult? Maybe I can talk myself into a placebo effect so I will play better on hole-less barrels, even if it physically makes no difference. I'm pretty sure that kind of nonsense has already taken place for me (and others of you) with a half dozen other insignificant equipment alterations.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2015-09-08 21:27
Just doing some housecleaning of barrels I had experimented with and was no longer using. Mainly I'm concerned about doing nicer repairs on the barrels I am still using.
But I was honest in my listings and described and showed the crude repairs. So if they don't sell I guess it's worth my time to fix them better and relist, for higher prices, LOL.
Wouldn't even epoxy just drill right out of a plugged hole, with little fuss- if someone wanted to do another barrel mic? If not, how about hot melt glue, or even "plastic wood"? Any of these ought to work nicely against a teflon tape covered dowel. I've also got shellac pellets for pads, wouldn't that work?
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2015-09-08 22:15
Attachment: goop.jpg (230k)
Marine Goop is my miracle material. It's made for repairs on anything that needs to hold water- scuba masks, aquariums. But I discovered it some years ago and I use it for music and photography things more than any other sealant or adhesive. It adheres well to metals, most plastics (but not Ziplock bags), and rubber- wood not so much. It fills gaps and is pretty darned strong.
And a day or a decade later, it will come off and leave nothing behind, if you've learned how to remove it and are patient. No solvent required. I suggest folks goop some odd throwaway items together and then work with separating them later, so they know how to work with something valuable.
All my barrel mics were attached with Goop. And they all came off cleanly.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
Post Edited (2015-09-08 22:21)
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2015-09-08 22:48
Most of my barrel mic mounts were just a 1/8" diameter hole, with the Shure SE110 mic (earpiece) inserted into the hole and secured and sealed up with Goop on the outside. Then when I pull off the mic and Goop, all that remains is the hole, and perhaps a small zone of messed up finish. That's what I have on the 2 (or 3?) barrels I'm keeping, and one rubber barrel I have listed.
But those 2 wood barrels I'm selling were another story. Early on I had to experiment and bought a selection of cheap barrels. It took me a while to get the routine down. So some holes were too big, not drilled well, etc. I'm pretty sure those 2 were part of a lot of 4 or 6 that had some odd gold lettering. I wish I could remember what they said, or show photos. Nothing too rude, but I remember thinking it would be bad to send one with your kid to middle school band... very odd. So I hacked off all the letters, probably with excessive force. And then I didn't repair the damage particularly well. If they don't sell, maybe I fix better (worth my time?) or just throw back in my parts bin.
Thanks for your kind comments about my noodling. Indeed I will keep at it and record and preserve as much as I can over time.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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