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Re: Sluggish action on old clarinet

Author: clarnibass
Date: 2017-04-16 19:57

Unclear if you check the way I explained in the beginning of the previous post: "For every key that is sluggish, first check that it is smooth without the spring. Sometimes it's tricky and you have to sort of press the spring away so it doesn't touch the hinge anywhere. If the key is slightly binding without the spring it's very different from the spring being sluggish."

Start with keys where you can easily release the spring from its cradle and the key doesn't touch the spring. With some keys (operated by needle springs) you need to push the spring away to check (as explained above). With flat springs you need to remove the spring and mount the key without it to check.

It sounds like you pretty much checked that they move freely off the clarinet, so first verify whether the keys move freely on the clarinet, without the spring. Then continue from there.

>> I think you heat the end, but even heated the steel
>> seemed not to be the least disturbed by my attempts
>> at it with a mallet. Do I need a hotter flame?

I know some people heat the end, but I strongly recommend against it. for heat to make any difference, it has to be enough to "ruin" the spring temper. There's a huge risk (especially without experience) to ruin the spring. If you ruin the temper (i.e. temper it more) anywhere outside the post (actually slightly inside the post too) then it will completely ruin the way it works. Since it's possible to flatten anyway, it's not worth it IMO.

If you do use heat, it is crucial that the spring still has the same temper (i.e. not heated beyond its temper temp) for at least 1/3 and preferably about 1/2 of its length inside the post.

Another problem of softening the post part of the spring is that for a broken spring that is really stuck hard, the special pliers can actually dig into it instead of pushing it away, if it's too soft.

>> This clarinet has nickel-colored round springs that I see on
>> cheaper clarinets, not the tapered blue tempered steel ones
>> that are on my own instruments. Is the technique for replacing
>> a spring different between the two materials?

The technique is the same for almost all needle springs. Nickel colour springs are usually stainless steel or sometimes even steel. The blue is (usually) just the colour from tempering, it is just a type of steel (you can polish the colour off, though it helps against rust a little too). you can check if they are magnetic, though some stainless steel is magnetic too so it doesn't necessarily mean anything (nickel silver springs are another option, though almost no clarinets have them).

Stainless steel and non-blued steel springs vary a lot from excellent to terrible. If the springs seem thicker than usual it can be a sign that it's a poor material or temper (not so springy).
Replacing bad springs with good springs isn't so straight forward, because often the same diameter og a good spring would be too stiff for the key. Sometimes you'd need a thinner spring of a good material.

>> What is the best way to check that the posts
>> at opposite ends of a rod are aligned?

You can insert the rod screws in the posts without the keys. Wiggle the rod (usually there's some play in the post) and check how concentric it is with the threaded post i.e. how much it moves in each direction (check up, down and both sides). It's a simple way to get a good estimate.

By the way sometimes keys bind only when the rod screw is threaded all the way, as a result of a misalignment of the post face and the rod screw end part that goes against it, causing the screw to distort. so when doing the first test, if the keys (without spring) bind when screw is threaded all the way, open the screw a little and check that too.

>> the wood might have shrunk a little and made many
>> of the distances between pivot posts too tight.

I guess everything is possible but I've never seen clarinets where this was a problem for this reason.

It sounds like you haven't swedged the hinges or done anything to remove play? So check by moving the key hinges along their length, to check for play. If there is any play, the key isn't binding between the posts.

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