This web page was created to go with the Instrument Care and Repair Clinic posted in another thread. Those interested can view the information at: http://jbtsaxmusic.homestead.com/Homemade_tools.html
Inexpensive Homemade Woodwind Repair Tools
- Thread starter jbtsax
- Start date
Your Crotchet Hook reminded me to finally document my "Field Repair Kit"; everything fits into a small plastic box. Most of the ingredients serve more than one purpose. Last fall I was able to refurbish a complete clarinet with just the tools and materials shown herein. (okay, okay, it just needed new pads and new corks here and there, but still...)
In a pinch, I can even make my own pads, with the EVA foam and the curvy nail scissors. (some of those pads are more than 5 years in service now and are still doing fine).
(click on the image for a larger version)
Rarely enough. When installing clarinet pads, I usually float them, ie glue them in but don't press it home, then I quickly assemble the key, reheat the cup and let the spring force or the key's own weight nudge the pad into place. Works like a charm, with clarinet keys at least. My error margin is maybe one pad per three or four clarinets, and that one is usually is the Ab/G# throat pad.
If I indeed need a gauge of some sort, I usually have one of those cash register receipts which seems to be thin and slippery enough to detect differences in tear around the circumference of the tone hole beds.
The most invaluable tool is probably my Cyber Tool knife, couldn't do without.
For me, if I do this, I find that very few pads get as level as I'd like. It happens, but not so often. Most of the time the pad either doesn't seal, or is pretty good and seems to seal, but not as good as I'd like when checking in more detail (e.g. with a feeler). I don't know if we do it different or what, but great if this works for you.
Personally I feel I need something thinner, like the (approx) 0.013mm paper which is the thinnest I could find. I noticed I became more sensitive to pad pressure when I moved from the slightly thicker paper I was using before (I think 0.02mm or so). Same as a feather on an anvil, the thicker the paper I feel less difference in pressure. Just what I found to work for me.
To be fair, I first fit the pad "dry", without glue, just to check if the thickness is okay or if the key cup is level (ie not bent sideways).
I usually go by ear - you can hear from the popping sound whether or not a pad is closing well or not. It has this distinctive thud when you put your ear to a tenon end. Of course, this works better with the big pads; the upper tenon pads are mostly sprung close and will take care of themselves over time if you don't do a really bad initial job.
Another test I sometimes (with my favourite Ab throat key) use is to put a piece of soft toilet paper (kitchen paper is too stiff) between pad and hole, and close the hole. If the impression on the paper is uniform, the seal is good. With light coming from the side, differences in impression become very apparent, and you don't even have press the pad closed really hard.
But as I said - I usually dry-test them before fitting.
If you just work on your own clarinets, and are satisfied with the results you get, then that is great. I would never let a clarinet go back to a customer without carefully checking every pad with a feeler gauge, and I use your method to get "into the ballpark" as well. Even those that are sealing airtight at the moment, if one side is "lighter" than the other are going to develop leaks later on. You might be surprised at what you'd discover if you made a feeler gauge and checked your padding work.
Yes, I do that too. That's why most of the time floating them with spring/finger/key pressure it will be very close. It might even seal completely, but with a very thin feeler the pressure is not even enough. Sometimes it does "automatically" get the result I want, but not most of the time.
IMO the reason it's usually (and especially for short arm keys) closing harder at the back is because the pad floats with a soft glue behind it. The pad will always have slightly more force at the front than at the back because of the angle, so it aligns itself by this force, resulting in it closing harder at the back. This is why I usually have to re-heat and re-align using a pad slick or bend/align the key over the tone hole (depending on the key).
I use this too, actually I play some music with this
Personally I found very subtle differences or sometimes no difference at all between when the pad is as good as I want it, to when it is almost as good. So I don't feel I can rely on that.
If I rely on that I found a couple of problems. This goes back to the first paragraph. It will eventually seal completely but usually will be almost as good as I want it. Then there are two issues I found. First, although the spring will close the pad completely, it won't be as fast as possible all around, so some intervals can be affected by it. Second (applies to some types of pads more than others), eventhough the pad seals completely eventually by the spring pressure, because it's not as accurate as it can be, it will also need to be replaced sooner.
All of this is just what I found working on instruments. It's not necessarily the only way to do it and others might prefer other methods.
I don't know what he uses, but a lot of the oils sold for woodwinds (both good and bad ones) are clear. The only not clear one I tried was from the Doctor's Products and stopped using it because it has a very weird/bad smell.
Maybe I'm doing something wrong. The pads sits on the tone hole, and the unsprung key cup is forced closed by its own weight. I don't see how that would result in an uneven fit. Plus, I can't see how using a 3mm wide tape on a 5mm tonehole crown (upper joint) would yield anything useful unless the pad has an extremely poor fit. Bigger pads, okay. Bass clarinet, sure.
I've carried a crochet hook in my clarinet case for well over forty years. (It's the same one that I borrowed from my mother with a promise to bring it back, but never lived up to my promise.) My fat fingers have never fit into any of the key work nooks and crannies, and I had to get those springs back on somehow.
I also carry an assortment of urethane "rubber" bands. These incredibly thin little bands are great for replacing a spring that breaks at the worst time.
I haven't overhauled a horn in many years - probably thirty or more. When I did, I already had the general precision tools at hand. I just set pads with the shellac stick and the horn to guide them into place, and never had a problem thereafter.
I also carry an assortment of urethane "rubber" bands. These incredibly thin little bands are great for replacing a spring that breaks at the worst time.
I haven't overhauled a horn in many years - probably thirty or more. When I did, I already had the general precision tools at hand. I just set pads with the shellac stick and the horn to guide them into place, and never had a problem thereafter.
I use a feeler gauge material that is .0005" or .0012cm in thickness.
http://www.jlsmithco.com/ISOLATORS-FEELERS/FEELER-STRIP-MATERIAL
as mentioned, it is used to not only make sure there are not very minute leaks but also to check the "pressure" based on flatness around the tonehole itself.
The feeler material width is not important as you can use the square edge to get as little or as wide as you want to use.
I remember when MusicMedic got started selling needle spring hooks. They used machined Crochet hooks too.
I have several sizes and shapes of spring hooks. I think the newest one I have has "buescher" stamped on it.
http://www.jlsmithco.com/ISOLATORS-FEELERS/FEELER-STRIP-MATERIAL
as mentioned, it is used to not only make sure there are not very minute leaks but also to check the "pressure" based on flatness around the tonehole itself.
The feeler material width is not important as you can use the square edge to get as little or as wide as you want to use.
I remember when MusicMedic got started selling needle spring hooks. They used machined Crochet hooks too.
I have several sizes and shapes of spring hooks. I think the newest one I have has "buescher" stamped on it.
I've got a 30 or so year-old bottle of key oil on a shelf behind me. It's got a nice precision tip. But it looks like the 5W30 I put in my car. When I see clear oils, I think of something plant-based. Of course, all the bore oils I've ever used are clear, too.
clarnibass & JBT, if I, a person who doesn't even attempt to be called a repairman, had an "emergency" problem with a pad, spring, etc. I'd try to get it playable and then take it in for service as soon as possible afterwards. That's why I'd think that an "emergency" kit doesn't need a feeler or whatever.
FWIW, maybe everyone should b\play vintage Bueschers at gigs so, if a pad rips, you can just snap out the Snap On and snap in a new one. That's a bit behind the idea of the Vibratosax design. However, in the case of some of the Bueschers, you'd probably carry around some screw-in springs. And in the case of the Vibratosax, some coil springs -- plus a dustpan and broom for if you drop the horn
.Pete, synthetic oils such as Ultimax and Alisyn are clear and... synthetic I mostly use a type from Kraus Music that is also clear and synthetic. But the other two are pretty easily available (for anyone who can order online, at least).
I don't really know if these (and other similar ones, like Doctor's) specialist woodwind oils are really better than others (others being those cheap ones sold with something like Woodwind Key Oil printed on it, or just some other types of motor oil, etc.). I just believe some of the (biased) experts that they are, and have a general impression that they are.
Re the feeler in an emergency kit, I agree it's not needed. Just to clarify, my comments about feeler were about its use in general, not about an emergency.
I mostly use a type from Kraus Music that is also clear and synthetic. But the other two are pretty easily available (for anyone who can order online, at least).I don't really know if these (and other similar ones, like Doctor's) specialist woodwind oils are really better than others (others being those cheap ones sold with something like Woodwind Key Oil printed on it, or just some other types of motor oil, etc.). I just believe some of the (biased) experts that they are, and have a general impression that they are.
Re the feeler in an emergency kit, I agree it's not needed. Just to clarify, my comments about feeler were about its use in general, not about an emergency.