 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Shostakovich
Date: 2016-09-25 13:44
Attachment: 14445721_248911602172418_2015582661_n.jpg (29k)
I've been experimenting lately with woodworking, trying to make clarinet barrels and bells (and I've had some success - see the attached image).
The barrel pictured is kind of a prototype, as I wanted to practice before investing in expensive, hard wood.
Anyway, one thing I experimented with here was "thermally modifying" the wood (essentially, I boiled it in paraffin wax).
This process had several interesting effects: firstly, it has darkened the color of the wood significantly (this barrel is made of kanuka, normally a pinkish-white wood).
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, the barrel should theoretically now be impervious to changes in humidity and temperature (i.e. I expect tuning to be more stable, and doubt that it will crack or warp).
It's a simple technique, and seems to have a couple of benefits - anyone heard of barrels or instruments being made like this?
Cheers
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-09-25 17:15
There's a video of the Schreiber factory which has what seems like large pressure cookers where I presume they pressure treat the billets to force oil into them.
On he flip side, some companies have used kiln dried grenadilla with disastrous results.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Shostakovich
Date: 2016-09-25 23:10
Ah, neat, thanks for the hint - that's quite a well made video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZQprUXwFs8
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Author: dubrosa22
Date: 2016-09-25 23:26
Moeck and Mollenhauer both treat all of their maple and pearwood recorders with pressurised paraffin wax.
I have a Moeck alto/treble and the wood certainly has a different look and feel from other maple instruments (ie. my own turned Renaissance flutes treated with linseed oil.)
V
Post Edited (2016-09-25 23:29)
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2016-09-26 21:19
The exterior of my handmade barrels are treated with a combination of waxes, one of which is beeswax.
The interior (bore) is sealed with a proprietary mix which includes a naturally produced costly substance as its main ingredient.
I do not use a pressure device, although some woodwind repair techs advocate pressurized bore oil treatments on older instruments. Others eschew oil treatment altogether (Moennig was one).
As for cryo-treatment. It is done sometimes on metals such as knives and gun barrels....not so good for wood!!!
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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