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Nail Polish

Ed

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I carry nail polish in my bag along with all of my other supplies such as cleaning patches, electrical tape, screw drivers, spring hook , and a tuner. Nail polish is great if you have a screw that wants to back itself out over time. A little dab and it will stay in place until you can get the horn in to your tech.
 
No but I do use it for rubber pen sacs on vintage pens.
 
BTB, we're talkin' the clear stuff. And not necessarily just on sax: anything with screws.

Steve, from a repair perspective, is this a good or bad practice? I've never done it myself, but I've wondered if the residue would make your life more difficult.
 
Clear ... that's a novell thought. I was thinking Ed used RED nail polish

i don't think it would be a BIG issue. just something else to scrap off. and as long as the slot head of the screw/rod isn't all mangled. But normally one could use light thread lock to address the issue when a tech builds it in the first place. and if it's rolling out, then a better oil/grease would be due too as there is definitely too much friction going on there. (or a variety of other things)

on clarinet you usually seee players use nail polish to quiet a loose (cheaper) bladder pad skin. just a dab in the middle and the pad quiets up (keeps the skin from flapping in the air or to the resonance). Of course, you have to know how to identify which pad too.
 
I use whatever color is around. I used to have some clear but now I think I have an off-white with metallic flakes or something. Purchased cheap at Big Lots.
 
I'm picturing Ed, as his current avatar, playing in an ensemble and wearing either goth black or hot pink metallic nail polish.

Can you pass the mind bleach?
 
Pete,

You've known me a long time online and I doubt I have ever given you that impression.

I'm more of a button down shirt brooks brothers kind of guy without the ascot. Pretty much a typical more dressy than a polo but less dressy than a suit kind of guy.
 
Ed Svoboda said:
Pete,

You've known me a long time online and I doubt I have ever given you that impression.

I'm more of a button down shirt brooks brothers kind of guy without the ascot. Pretty much a typical more dressy than a polo but less dressy than a suit kind of guy.
Well, I never knew you wore nail polish :).

OK, ok. I keed. I keed.

I've only seen the one pic of you on SOTW and that's it. The pic that's there of me is ... OK. But, I've gotta tell you, most of the time that broccoli avatar looks more like me.
 
Geez!

This is an old thread. Sorry to have missed it.

I always have three (3) bottles of clear fingernail polish ready to use on the bench, in case I lose one or two when they start throwing multiple horns at me. It's a really valuable short-term repair tool.

When securing headless pivot screws, back them out a turn or two to let the nail polish grab a slightly larger bonding surface. If there is oil present, this trick won't work. If a screw ever freezes into a post due to the nail polish, heat from a (small) torch or alcohol lamp solves the problem .

For adjusting screws, like G#/Bb bridge screws on a saxophone, or any adjusting screw on a flute or oboe, run a strand of waxed dental floss through the barrel that holds the adjustment screw. Yep, that means you have to take the screw completely out. Don't work over a shag carpet.

If there is any doubt or hesitance due to lack of experience, don't do it. Take it to a repairman. It'll be cheaper and faster. I've seen what can happen...
 
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