Quickie Pad Replacement
Every so often I check out a clarinet which is close to be really good and only needs tweaking. My older used Buffet E-11 “A” clarinet is such an example. A few tweaks here and there and it’s been perfect for a long time. All except one key, the C# pad which sticks and makes noise. I just have not had the energy to take apart all the lower spatula keys just to replace that one key pad. After all, only I hear the annoying thing and it plays and seals just fine.
Well playing a Mozart quintet I just got tired of it. So I did one of my pad replacements where you don’t take any keywork off. This technique actually works anywhere on a standard boehm clarinet.
But I have a few techniques where this is actually plausible, more like my shellac which is pulverized and allows me to pour this pixie dust into a pad cup where a shellac stick would not suffice. Pellets may but I have my pixie dust (crushed French cement).
In this case because it is a closed key, the C# I wedge the key open as much as possible. (see below)
In these cases I do not like using a direct flame. Once, just once accidentally slightly scorching a wood clarinet has raised my adverseness to that technique. Thus now I use a hobby soldering gun which has a flat part to the tip (see below) for pad adjustments.
Next I use my hobby soldering gun against the C# pad. In this case the pad is always up, and the key down. For this size key usually I only have to count up to 16. Smaller pads up to 6 before the adhesive is soft enough for the pad to be pulled out.
Now since I’ve never done any pad work on this Shreiber before I don’t know what I’m getting myself into. With the pad out I scrap out the adhesive with a small screwdriver. I also have a small metal “L” shape doohickie which works well too. In this case we have my worst enemy. Really stringy silicon adhesive. Nice. One of those instances where you now debate just taking the keywork off just to clean out the pad cup properly.
Anyways .. I degress ….
Next since I had the otiginal pad in whole, I can check for size and select a replacement.
I then put the new pad in the cup just to see how it fits. Here I have a feeler strip (the feeler tool I took off) and check around just to get an idea of how I will have to adjust it from floating on the shellac. Then I take the pad back out.
So with the pad cup cleaned out I take my pixie dust
And scoop some into the pad cup itself
Then I heat up the pad cup with the pixie dust
Here you can barely see that it’s molten. If there too much you simply use the screw driver and roll it in the molten shellac and it balls up on the end and remove it. If there’s a bit too much don’t worry. It’s one of those experience thing of knowing how hot and how much to put in. you also want to poke the top of heated shellac to let out any built up heat inside, just in case. I’m usually quite good with my timing of my tool to properly melt the shellac.
Then I put the pad in and float it properly with possibly reheating and viola. It’s as good as new with a slight indentation.
If there’s too much shellac one slightly presses the key the shellac will come out around the pad. For this technique it really isn’t a problem. Once the shellac cools I just use a xacto blade and it just breaks right off with no issues and cleanly too. A small key brush to wipe off the dust and all is ready to go.
Now my “A” doesn’t have that annoying stuck pad sound.
Total time under 10 minutes excluding the pics.
Now back to Mozart
I think I have a future in Live Elevator Music.
Every so often I check out a clarinet which is close to be really good and only needs tweaking. My older used Buffet E-11 “A” clarinet is such an example. A few tweaks here and there and it’s been perfect for a long time. All except one key, the C# pad which sticks and makes noise. I just have not had the energy to take apart all the lower spatula keys just to replace that one key pad. After all, only I hear the annoying thing and it plays and seals just fine.
Well playing a Mozart quintet I just got tired of it. So I did one of my pad replacements where you don’t take any keywork off. This technique actually works anywhere on a standard boehm clarinet.
But I have a few techniques where this is actually plausible, more like my shellac which is pulverized and allows me to pour this pixie dust into a pad cup where a shellac stick would not suffice. Pellets may but I have my pixie dust (crushed French cement).
In this case because it is a closed key, the C# I wedge the key open as much as possible. (see below)
In these cases I do not like using a direct flame. Once, just once accidentally slightly scorching a wood clarinet has raised my adverseness to that technique. Thus now I use a hobby soldering gun which has a flat part to the tip (see below) for pad adjustments.
Next I use my hobby soldering gun against the C# pad. In this case the pad is always up, and the key down. For this size key usually I only have to count up to 16. Smaller pads up to 6 before the adhesive is soft enough for the pad to be pulled out.
Now since I’ve never done any pad work on this Shreiber before I don’t know what I’m getting myself into. With the pad out I scrap out the adhesive with a small screwdriver. I also have a small metal “L” shape doohickie which works well too. In this case we have my worst enemy. Really stringy silicon adhesive. Nice. One of those instances where you now debate just taking the keywork off just to clean out the pad cup properly.
Anyways .. I degress ….
Next since I had the otiginal pad in whole, I can check for size and select a replacement.
I then put the new pad in the cup just to see how it fits. Here I have a feeler strip (the feeler tool I took off) and check around just to get an idea of how I will have to adjust it from floating on the shellac. Then I take the pad back out.
So with the pad cup cleaned out I take my pixie dust
And scoop some into the pad cup itself
Then I heat up the pad cup with the pixie dust
Here you can barely see that it’s molten. If there too much you simply use the screw driver and roll it in the molten shellac and it balls up on the end and remove it. If there’s a bit too much don’t worry. It’s one of those experience thing of knowing how hot and how much to put in. you also want to poke the top of heated shellac to let out any built up heat inside, just in case. I’m usually quite good with my timing of my tool to properly melt the shellac.
Then I put the pad in and float it properly with possibly reheating and viola. It’s as good as new with a slight indentation.
If there’s too much shellac one slightly presses the key the shellac will come out around the pad. For this technique it really isn’t a problem. Once the shellac cools I just use a xacto blade and it just breaks right off with no issues and cleanly too. A small key brush to wipe off the dust and all is ready to go.
Now my “A” doesn’t have that annoying stuck pad sound.
Total time under 10 minutes excluding the pics.
Now back to Mozart
I think I have a future in Live Elevator Music.
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