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Re: Using Shims instead of shrinking pliers

Author: Chris P
Date: 2017-10-04 23:00

Shims aren't used as they're easily mixed up or lost when the instrument is taken apart.

Swaging key barrels is a more permanent repair to remove or reduce lateral play between key barrels and pillars, but it is easy to mark the key barrels or plating with swaging pliers and the ends of the key barrels will need fraising to true them up instead of leaving them uneven or rough which will cause uneven wear on the pillar faces or adjoining key barrels if several keys share the same rod screw or steel.

The only places I use shims are Teflon shims on saxes which have a tilting low Bb spatula and the key barrel can't be swaged, or a Selmer-style crook key if it has a saddle which too can't be swaged to take up the lateral play.

Some key barrels on clarinets can't be swaged or easily swaged such as the throat G# key, the Ab/Eb and F/C keys. In these instances, shims can be used, although a more permanent solution is to do a barrel graft which involves shortening and countersinking the existing key barrels and soft soldering appropriately shaped short lengths of key barrel into the ends, then fitting them to the rod screw and between the pillars to eliminate excess lateral play.

But there are some keys that require some lateral play - the speaker key, the side/trill keys and the throat A key just to ensure they will still function when the wood moves causing the pillars to move together when humidity levels drop.

Plastic bodied instruments need lateral play on all keys relative to their lengths - that's important to be sure they won't bind up when it's cold as plastic shrinks in all directions. This is why plastic bass, contra-alto and contrabass clarinets seem to have excessive lateral play in their keywork as this has been done on purpose and isn't down to poor manufacture. If the keywork was made to be a good fit between pillars, it'll all bind up solid as soon as they're played in a cold hall or outdoors.

Which keys on your clarinet do you consider require shimming?

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

Post Edited (2017-10-05 00:20)

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