The Oboe BBoard

The Oboe BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Re: Adjustment question

Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-08-22 14:54

Not so keen on teflon tips as they're easily crushed (teflon can crumble under heavy pressure) and usually have square cut tips, though I do prefer nylon tips as they don't crush like teflon. The usual cause for teflon tips to become crushed is after an accident (a knock or fall) or someone's been a bit too heavy-handed with the screwdriver.

Though they can be noisy due to the hardness of the material, but provided the ends are rounded off they should work smoothly.

I've often fitted nylon tipped adjusting screws (drilled out and glued a piece of nylon harp or guitar string into the screw tip) in the 3rd 8ve and LH1 fingerplate as they make direct contact with the joint surface and often don't have much movement in them. The nylon tip can then be melted or sanded (or melted and sanded) to make it domed instead of leaving the tip cut square so there aren't any sharp edges to dig or catch onto anything to make it run smoothly.

On clarinets I usually do this for the throat G#-A adjustment instead of sticking a piece of rubco on the throat A key as there's only a tiny gap between these keys. Also the adjustment on the LH forked Eb/Bb mechanism as there's a fair amount of sliding motion in this, but again it does make the action noisy.

My plastic Selmer Signet "bad weather" oboe has nylon tipped adjusting screws throughout (including the extra ones I've fitted) but it can sound like a typewriter - mainly in the RH main action linked to the forked F vent.

Marigaux oboes/cors sometimes have a few completely plastic screws (probably around three at the most), but most are blued steel so require some kind of silencing material beneath them. Lorees have teflon tipped adjusters used pretty much throughout.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

Post Edited (2010-08-22 15:19)

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics