 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: TEEEJAAA
Date: 2019-05-02 21:57
Attachment: CLarinet crack.jpg (44k)
Does anybody have experience repairing cracks in clarinets using banding?
Do you do anything to the crack itself, or only install the bands to keep the crack tightly closed?
The crack on the clarinet I am about to repair starts at the top of the top joint and extends down to the chalumeau keys (about as low as the first-ring pad; the crack does not go through any tone holes). Because of the closeness of those tone holes, there isn't any good position to install a band around the bottom half of this crack.
Will banding still be an effective repair if the lowest band I install is just above the side Bb hole?
In the photo, the red lines represent the length of the crack, and the yellow lines represent approximate band positions.
Also, will fishing line work effectively, or should I acquire carbon tow or ribbon? I don't care about the aesthetics of this clarinet...only playability.
I have experience in instrument repair, but I have never banded a wood instrument.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2019-05-03 01:31
Attachment: dgprestige1.jpg (113k)
Attachment: dgprestige2.jpg (118k)
I carbon fibre banded a Buffet DG Prestige top joint not so long ago that cracked all the way down the left side and terminated in the LH3 tonehole (see attachments).
I forgot to take photos of it after it was done, but I managed to fit around seven or eight bands in total from top to just above the LH3 tonehole. I used carbon fibre tows and hid them by filling in over the top of them with superglue and wood dust so they're not anywhere near as conspicuous if they were left visible.
I wouldn't mind trying carbon fibre ribbon instead of tows as ribbon should wind into the slots more evenly, but still aim to get a minimum of three windings of carbon fibre around each slot you've cut to offer maximum strength and use superglue to lock them in place so they won't relax and loosen off as can happen with epoxy. Superglue sets them in place - I use low viscosity/instant grab superglue instead of regular, slower setting or gel.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2019-05-03 01:38)
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2019-05-03 20:26
I always open the top of the crack and glue. The reason to open the crack is to make it easier for the glue to run into the crack instead of everywhere else.
I almost always use threaded metal rod, but I've been doing it so long that it is easy for me and less work. I've experimented with carbon fiber pins. These are easier to install and not as much of a problem if you screw up.
Steve Ocone
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