 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2007-10-30 05:58
you'd have to have a machine to do that. i'm not sure any other conventional method would work or work to the desired "look"
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-10-30 10:56
I think the manufacturers do that. I've seen it done with paper (like glass paper or cloth, probably very fine) on a stick. I think it was in the Buffet factory video.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-10-30 11:59
1200 grit (or finer) glued to a wooden dowel will do the job, and remove the speaker and thumb bushes (as well as all the keywork).
But gently does it.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: hans
Date: 2007-10-30 13:17
Koo Young Chung,
My thoughts are that it will look nice, but probably not make any noticeable difference to the sound.
If I were going to do it, I would use an automotive brake cylinder polishing tool (three polishing stones on a rod, forced outward by the force of rotation) rotated by an electric drill so that the polishing could be performed very evenly. And I would practise on an old junk clarinet first. A lot.
Hans
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2007-10-30 15:27
Good methods, Hans, Chris and CB, all with Care, I'm sure. I usually just do a light brushing with a few drops of good bore oil, which produces at least some "shine". Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-10-30 16:07
Another thing you can do after papering it all up and oiling is to use a mop (the fine bristle or woolen mops with wire handles that shouldn't be used to dry the bore with!) with a few drops of bore oil mounted in a drill chuck and use this at a reasonable speed to polish the bore with. That's if you want a mirror finish to the bore.
Then clean out the oil/lint residue from the toneholes before putting all the keys back on.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Margaret
Date: 2007-10-30 19:09
Hello,
I have no idea about the original post, and apologize to Koo.
I was reading this thread and got alarmed.
"(the fine bristle or woolen mops with wire handles that shouldn't be used to dry the bore with!)"
I use mine to dry my bore :O I had no idea that you weren't supposed to. I only got a real teacher last month, and have been learning 'on the fly' only for the past 14 years. Some of the things she's 'caught' me doing have raised her hair. I'm suspecting this would be another one. I do that often. Should I stop? If so, do I just use a normal swab? It still looks 'wettish' when I'm through swabbing. I have an ordinary sort of swab. Please help me. I never meant to hurt my clarinet.
So far, I don't think I have (she's looked at it inside and out and says that it both looks and sounds good).
Thanks,
Margaret
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2007-10-30 19:15
a silk swab should dry the bore nicely. Swab twice if necessary, and wipe the tenons and sockets before storing. Stop at once with the brush thing.
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Author: hans
Date: 2007-10-30 20:57
BobD,
Were you going to pass some and donate them for an experiment? We could compare the polishing effectiveness of kidney stones versus gall stones....
The stones would have to be of uniform size, weight, and composition (to ensure even polishing), and be able to be attached to the apparatus that is to be rotated.
But there is no shortage of polishing stones AFAIK, so that it may not be necessary to try kidney or gall stones :-)
Hans
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2007-10-30 21:46
On many clarinets the bore is too rough to be smoothed by polishing. Check the bore with 3X magnification. If smooth no need to polish, and yes, some are smooth. I had VSPs, Infiniti, Yamaha and others which could not be smoothed by polishing, in my opinion. My Robert bore was smooth as glass. So are my Ridenours.
richard smith
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Author: Koo Young Chung
Date: 2007-10-30 23:19
Thank you for many good ideas.
My intention was:
After you play many months,inside looks and feels a little bit rough with slightly raised grains even after diligent swabing each time.(You can feel with your little finger near the ends.)
I was wondering this would affect the tone quality in the long run even small amount and anyone tried to polish so that it looked again like it was new.
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Author: hans
Date: 2007-10-30 23:50
Margaret,
Clarinets are made of very hard materials so that, unless you were using a large steel brush vigorously, IMO it's unlikely that you've done any harm.
Pull-through swabs are made for the purpose, so that you should start using one. I pull from the bell end towards the mouthpiece end (the same way I clean my saxes), while others may go in the other direction or go both ways to clean both sides of the vent tube. Chacun a son gout.
To reduce the risk of getting the swab stuck, you can disassemble the clarinet before swabbing and also pull the swab in a direction away from the vent tube; i.e., not straight out, but so that the string touches the inside wall of the joint opposite the vent tube.
Hans
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-10-31 00:18
The wire handled mops shed fibres that end up in toneholes, and they don't absorb much water (though will distribute it), so it's much better to use a cotton handkerchief-style pullthrough after playing.
But the mops are good at applying bore oil, though a piece of cloth wrapped round a piece of dowel is also good to apply bore oil with (and always with the keys off the instrument).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2007-10-31 01:31
Disclaimer - I sell plant derived Bore Doctor and genuine Grenadilla-Oil)
In my experience people apply way too much bore oil and after letting it absorb they just have to wipe most of it off. A thin even coat with time to absorb is IMHO the best way to do it. A precaution, often not necessary but good to do, is to put little squares of waxed paper under the pads of the closed keys so that any oil seeping out of the tonehole (ob cit however small amount of oil applied) will not get on pads. I hate to remove keys often because it may mess up regulation if you are not an expert at replacing them properly.
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
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Author: Margaret
Date: 2007-10-31 23:42
Thank you all for your swabbing advice. It sounds like I ought to get another swab. I have an ordinary one, and I never thought it did much good (hence the mop's appearance). The silk one someone mentioned sounds neat. What is a good company?
Margaret
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-10-31 23:56
Margaret,
The Yamaha ones are as good as any, and should be available in most music shops and woodwind specialists (as well as online), you'll need a medium (M) for a Bb clarinet.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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