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Re: New case materials, old metal instruments

Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2018-07-12 08:59

Thank you both for the responses.

That case of John's is in really good shape! I have a couple that are in good shape, and some that are pretty rough.

The cases I'm thinking of retiring are for the 1880's - 1890's era Conns. The metal Conns break down like a normal clarinet, but I'm thinking of making a long case in which to leave the clarinet assembled from my office to the gig(s). For reasons not important to the design of the case, I prefer to leave these clarinets assembled.

As per the leather (and hardening), from everything I've researched...if I keep the temperature at 190 (plus or minus - I'll have to find the exact temp again), it will allow me to stretch the leather over a form while still hot/wet, and clamp/nail it into place until it dries/hardens. The key point being that you shouldn't actually bring the leather to a temp above roughly 190 degrees, or the shrinkage becomes too severe to stretch and hold over a form. I plan to have a form of the exact same size/shape of my case - and I plan to use too much leather, so that the hardened leather might be cut down to size and (after removed from the form) either glued or nailed to the actual case.

I'm not convinced that using a solid block of wood would make the case too heavy...at least if I only made the bottom half of the case (where the clarinet would reside after opening) solid. I was thinking of a simple "pillow" type top - much like in John's picture labeled "hnwhiteinside.jpg".

If I were to attempt a scabbard, I would first create a wooden form for the leather and let it dry tacked to that form.

(I have no experience with hardened leather, though - just repeating what I anticipate based on what I've read).

I'd be interested in types of adhesive to either use or avoid. I'd also be interested in knowing whether I should avoid certain types/formulas of foam.

Thanks again for the insights and ideas.
Fuzzy

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