Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-04-21 12:53
With the developments meing made in dentistry and ceramics, it shouldn't be too long before ceramics will probably be applied to musical instruments.
A dental technician showed me a new type of ceramic crown that was developed in Germany, it's only around 0.3mm thick (and uniform) and is such a perfect fit after firing onto the core that very little adhesive is needed to bond it on permanently. There was also a degree of flexibility in this crown so it's not brittle, though as for it's density should it be made into a clarinet or oboe joint remains to be seen - if it's too heavy then it's no good, but being a ceramic and the ability to be moulded, there's no reason why it can't be moulded with a hollow wall in places (like sinuses in the skull) to save weight. Pillar holes can be eliminated and rib mounted pillars can be fitted (either screwed or glued on), though the bore will either need to be reamed afterwards to the finished dimentions, or if it's possible, the bore should be the correct dimensions after firing and finished with a glaze for a perfectly smooth bore. It will need to be glazed as ceramics can be porous.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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