Finally got a Reedual

stevethemusicman

Hi All,

It's been a long time since I've posted. But even though i've been in and out of the hospital this year i've still kept up on my playing and practicing. Fortunatly I'm feeling pretty good. After many hours and weeks spent on adjusting reeds and getting many different reed tools I finally broke down and bought a Reedual.

I love it. It works just as I expected. There are a few things I would have liked to see on the machine that can make it better but for the most part it does it's job wonderfully.

I also bought a Bass Clarinet. It's a 40 year old Vito but it plays well. I brought it over the Dillon music (a great repair shop) and they said it was a good axe.

So I'm having a ball playing and making reeds. Life is great.

Steve
 
From the Rabco ReeDual site:
RABCO REEDUAL has been producing motor driven reed profilers for clarinet and saxophone for over 40 years. Referring to the photograph, the movement of the table supporting the model reed on the right and the reed being sanded to shape on the left is controlled by the knob on the right end. A follower head contacts the model as the table is rotated and moved to the left so that the sanding wheel removes the cane material from the reed on the left end. The depth of cut is controlled by a brass knob on the right rear. This knob is indexed in 1/2 thousandth inch increments and can be rotated continuously through a considerable range, accommodating all clarinet and sax reeds and blanks. ​
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Customizing is also possible by changing the depth of cut from a harder to softer reed on the left, with a "zero" point located on the brass knob. A neoprene belt drives the cutting wheel from a motor pulley.​
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Cost of the REEDUAL is $630 using a credit card (VISA/Mastercard) or $600 using cash in advance. This includes UPS shipping in the U.S. Delivery takes about 6 weeks, depending on backlog.​
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More on the reedual

Hi All,

After playing with the reedual I am totally impressed. It does do the job very well. My only complaint is that there should have been easier ways to attach the reeds.

Knowing why rabco does that is understandable. First and foremost it gives you complete control of what you can do without limitations. One of the things I do not like but it is unavoidable to have the flexability is the fact that you have to use a plastic strip where both the source and destination reed are placed. And there is another plastic strip where the destination reed is placed. This is so you actually do not sand down the metal carriage. You would know immediatly if you are going beyone the actual reed. Remember that the reedual will sand down to 1/10000 of an inch.

I would rather have seen a safety lock (I can't say it is doable) so that you can never hit the carriage.

The other thing I would love but it would drive up the price of the reedual considerably is an automatic version that would move the carriage automatically for you. That would be wonderful but again, I don't think it will happen for a mere 600 dollars.

Other than the above, if you take the time to read the instructions and also speak to George you will love the reedual. I know have a blank die (a real reed) that I use as my base to make others. I love it.

steve
 
Used Reedual

Hi,

I've had mine for quite awhile and have used it only once or twice. I find it hard to get it set up correctly. The reason I haven't gone further is that I had some medical problems and inbetween that I moved. Within a month or two I will be setting up my entire studio in the new home and will start to work with it again. If I still can't work with it I intend to sell it. I know you are looking now but if you don't find one and if I do sell it you will be able to purchase mine.

A few months ago there was an auction sale of the Reedual and a bunch of other reed tools (worth over 1200 dollars) that went for about 700 or 800 dollars. I kept bidding on it but at the last moment I was outbid. So keep your eyes on the auctions for these. Sometimes you can find a great deal.

Steve
 
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reedual

Hi there,

I'm getting to realize that I should sell my reedual because I never use it and probably never will. I have to find it I just moved and it is still packed up. I'll either sell it at an auction or somewhere else.

If you are still interested please let me know. It will take me a few weeks to get it out of where it's packed up.
Steve
 
I'm curious exactly how it works. It kinda sounds like the duplicator on my lathe where I can take one "final" ie clarinet barrel and duplicate the outer shape on another piece. But just for reeds.

I might have to search youtube for a video on it's use.
 
How it works

Hi Steve,

Yes, it is similar to a keymaking machine where you match an existing reed with another. The machine is accurate to 1 10000th of an inch according to the manufacturer. He has a web site and a video about it from a TV show. You should be able to find it. If not let me know I probably have a link somewhere in my emails.

Steve

SteveSklar said:
I'm curious exactly how it works. It kinda sounds like the duplicator on my lathe where I can take one "final" ie clarinet barrel and duplicate the outer shape on another piece. But just for reeds.

I might have to search youtube for a video on it's use.
Click to expand...
 
BTW, the ReeDuAl is now about $1000, plus shipping. I bought one on eBay for $200, but it needed a new motor. The seller offered a return on it, but ended up paying me $100 towards the new motor. I found the Dayton motor from Zoro.com for $66, so the ReeDuAl cost me about $166. I works like a new one.

Jim Lytthans
Anaheim, CA
 
That's great. I got mine and never got to use it. I got sick and couldn't play the clarinet or sax anymore. I went to an EWI and a WX7 so now I have a reedual with no reeds to shape :). Hopefully I'll be able to play the clarinet again in a year or so.

Steve
 
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