 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: oboi
Date: 2012-11-27 03:44
Hi,
For reasons which I will not go into, I don't slot my thumb cushion onto my thumb rest, but rather need to put it right under the rest. I have tried different glues gluing them together but nothing works. The only thing that has worked is sticking a bit of masking tape between in and then liberally wrapping it with Teflon. This is a bit unsightly. So, I was wondering what glue would stick together the thumbrest (which is lined with cork) and the thumb cushion, which is rubber, and will be able to withstand lots of playing? What will actually bond well with rubber?
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Author: DrewSorensenMusic
Date: 2012-11-27 06:28
Contact Cement?
However, is there not another way to achieve whatever it is that you are doing without defacing it by permanently bonding something to it?
Drew S.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-11-27 07:03
I've never found any glue to work with thumbrest cushions as they don't take to the rubber too well. Maybe you need a special silicon rubber adhesive.
Often if I've had a customer's instrument in and they have trouble with the cushion falling off, especially with adjustable thumbrests or ones with a ring on the back, so I wire it on with soft brass reed wire to keep it in place.
Cut a 5cm (2") length of wire and poke it through the side of thumbrest so it goes all the way through and out the other side, then bend and wrap the free ends around the narrowest point of the thumbrest (usually at the bend), then finally twist the free ends together to keep it in place and snip off the excess wire. If it's an adjustable thumbrest or one fitted with a ring, then loop the wire around the bar or ring on the back of the thumbrest and then twist the free ends.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-12-14 08:56
Just wondering - is the Edmonton climate tough going on oboes? I lived over there back in 1981-83 and all the furniture we had shipped from the UK warped and split as it was so dry. Then again, the hot air central heating didn't help things much either.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: JRC
Date: 2012-12-14 14:23
I used "Super Glue" and it has been working. I am not sure what affects it may have when I take it out. But it works for me.
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Author: oboi
Date: 2012-12-14 22:31
Chris,
My oboes have been more or less okay so far (knock on grenadilla wood, ha). My used Marigaux has been fine. My new Fox EH had a few issues last year with the bell ring dropping off and the C# posts getting tight. But after humidifying and taking it out less to rehearsal, it's been behaving.
Howarth folks have been to Edmonton (principal oboe plays on an XL and thus everyone followed suit) and they sort of refuse to make cocobolo oboes for us anymore, because of cracking issues and after their utter shock arriving here, haha. But I'm assuming that humidity shock is the same reason I go crazy when I go to a humid locale (like Toronto or Florida). They do recommend the upper joint synthetic liner for the grenadilla ones they make. Mind you, I'm sure we're much more humid than, say, Arizona. Houses have humidifiers built into the heating system. e.g., my house is between 30-40% now. Apartments, public/office spaces, I dunno how that works... but I assume that has to be some humidification. So my concern isn't much where the horns spend 95% of their time, as to when I take it outside or to a nasty rehearsal/performance space. I've seen some cellos *explode* at rehearsals on some of the coldest days. But I don't see many cellists let their instruments warm up before playing.
The temperature is much milder than it would have been in the early-80's. Mind you, still hellishly cold at times. I do make sure my oboes are well-covered when I go take transit, etc, and minimize their time outdoors as much as possible. The summers do get quite hot nowadays, too, with many people getting A/C. Still not humid but more oboe friendly.
On the plus side, I never have issues with moldy and stinky reeds.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-12-15 10:35
Even when we lived up Clairview and Hermitage way which is right by the river, the humidity levels were still low. Before that we lived in Stony Plain which is completley rural.
At least in Canada they're already geared up for the cold and snow (and the thaw) as it's a regular event, unlike the UK which grinds to a halt with the lightest of snow flurries.
When I was very young we lived over in BC (Vancouver) which is pretty much similar to the maritime climate we have here in the UK, so more woodwind-friendly.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: cjwright
Date: 2012-12-16 02:29
Quote:
they sort of refuse to make cocobolo oboes for us anymore, because of cracking issues and after their utter shock arriving here...Mind you, I'm sure we're much more humid than, say, Arizona.
Ha, that's funny. I play a Cocobolo Howarth XL and I live in Arizona, and despite it being lined in the top joint, the side wall of the top did split about 3 inches long, but fortunately it didn't go deep and David Weber filled it with Super Glue.
Blog, An Oboe In Paradise
Solo Oboe, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-12-16 07:55
Shows the lining did the trick - while the wood split, it didn't render the instrument unplayable.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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