Dear Alan,
                 Well, you may as well include clarinets in your repertoire, they are all so similar.
     I always started new employees on flutes.  A flute encompasses everything that is involved in repairing woodwinds and more.  It has 3 pads that are glued in and floated into levelness, like a clarinet and the rest of them are bolted in solid where the pad cup must be bent to bring the pad into levelness, like a saxophone.  While it is true that the sax pads are glued in and can be humored using the shellac to make them perfect; they are primarily managed with bending.
     The only additional expense will be the pads themselves which are very economical. (cheap in the scheme of things)  Please read the little tutorials on our webpage, it may be found at: http://www.ferreestools.com/  click on "Back to Basics", then click "Woodwinds", then go fish.
     You use the same screwdrivers, spring pliers, swedging pliers, hammers, etc. on all these instruments.  There are, of course, some specialty tools, but you can determine your need for them later. 
     As far as pads,  I would use B31 white or B26 yellow Flute pads (.114" thick) as a general rule, and the New B7 or B8 for a .098" thin pad depending on the color you want, white or yellow.  All of the flute pads mentioned here are needle felt for lasting regulation, enhanced endurance and professional feel.  What is professional feel?  Firm and solid, not mushy and tentative!  Lasting regulation!  The regulation lasts longer because the felt is not mushy and changeable.  Enhanced endurance due to the thicker, less moved skin. (due to the needle felt)
     The B52 and B53 sax pads would be my choice there.  They look like what's being used on most instruments being manufactured today and for some time now.  They are .160" and .185" thick, respectively.  You need both, because both are being used and there are a lot of older horns out there that are not going to be thrown away, because many of them are better that what is being produced today!  They intermix when necessary and are undetectably different when installed.  The clarinet is best served with the B21 med. thick pad.  This pad fits most instruments built today, and with a little extra shellac can fit some older ones that required a thicker pad.  It is "double skin" for endurance and quietness (less krinkly sound).  Double skin in this case does not mean two skins, it is a traditional term meaning a skin about 50% thicker.  The above mentioned pads will give you the most trouble free installation and use.
     Of course, that is my personal opinion going back to 1954,  Gary
P.S. Aside from your basic hand tools and pads, you are going to need springs; flat and round and stainless and bronze. From now on - Most every thing else adds up FA$T.  And, when you need THEM, price won't matter. G

Thank you very much, Gary!!!
I appreciate the time you took to do this.
Respectfully,
Alan

#13, The P61 Bearing Plate Tool

Dear Rob,
     The P61 is a fairly new tool that is not in the 2001 Green catalog. (It is however, in the New 2003 White Catalog Addendum.)  We have had this tool in production about 6 months but, it was developed and has been used by John Huth, of Red Wing Repair School and a Yamaha repair consultant, for several years.  It is also very easy to use, once you see how.
     The rectangular rod with the wheel at one end, is the "pressure applicator".  The cylinder with the tapered, triangular or pyramid like indentation on one end is the bearing plate holder.  The indentation allows room for the bearing trunion to fit into the fixture.
     You put the bearing into the fixture and lightly tighten the Allen screw, which centers the bearing in the fixture.  The fixture may be mounted in a lathe or bench motor.  After everything is secure, spin the mounted fixture and at the same time apply pressure to the outer edge of the bearing by pushing the pressure wheel against the bearing.  It doesn't take much pressure to compress the brass making the bearing larger to fit tighter into the valve casing.  Try this method in small steps.  It is a "hand fit" type procedure.  If you go too far -  and you probably will the first few times until you develop a feel for the job.  When you do, just mount the bearing plate back in the fixture with the outer face toward the fixture and lightly smooth the reveal edge with a fine file or a fine file with some 600 grit Emory paper doing the actual cutting.  Once again, it doesn't take much and is a hand fit situation.  The methodology of this system is that it keeps every thing moving on center.  It works very well, but don't get in a rush or become impatient.  You can do perfect work with this tool and your skill.  You can accomplish a like new fit with a little effort, where before you had a junk instrument.
               Best wishes and Good repairs,
                               Gary FerRee, Repairman

Hi Gary,
     Ah……. All is clear now!!!  I had it in my head that it’s function was to expand the spindle bearing (against overdoing the P60!!) rather than the bearing plate.  But this makes much more sense doesn’t it?
     I apologize for my ignorance.  I am a pro Horn player in a large city where all the pro brass players use the repairers 2000 miles away.
     I am focusing mainly on Horn work at present.  You'd be surprised how many players cannot restring their own valves.  I started doing simple things and then set up to do ‘servicing’, as there is nowhere here to even get a chemical clean.  I have recently purchased a few things from you and have been practicing how to remove dents and do solders on a couple of junk instruments and I am now starting to get jobs in from various places including pros, schools and amateurs and I am gradually expanding my repertoire of repairs with very happy results!
     I have been very fortunate to have the assistance of several people via e-mail, including Stuart De Haro and David Laws, who have been very generous in sharing their knowledge with me and answering any stupid questions I might have.  I have a copy of the Erick Brand book and I also found your ‘FIRST’ Brass Bench list very helpful in selecting the tools I felt would be of use to me in my plans.  I am very quick to ask my ‘mentors’ if I am not sure and if I needed to practice the repair on an old instrument first.  I always reserve the right to not do a job if I am uncertain of my ability!!
     I realize that this is not the best way to learn the skills needed but I have no other way of doing it. My colleagues have been very encouraging and I recently I used my P56 to remove a long series of dents (about 6 inches worth) from below the finger hook on our 2nd horn player’s instrument, which was very successful and he is very pleased with the results.
Thanks again for your assistance, Rob

Dear Rob,
     No need to apologize,  I can't play a French horn!
     It is important to remember when stringing to have the strings not touch, as that increases wear, etc.  They work, but try to have them not touch.  We call that "string over" or "string under" as to where the strings wind up.  Or, you can bend the levers.  Another "trick" is to bring the string out from under the coil when going around the string screws.  This "locks" the string in place both on the stop arm and on the adjusting screw at the end of the lever.  If you don't come out "under" the entering portion of the string; the screw can tend to "push" the string outward from the screw.  You probably already figured these things out, but on the off chance they may have been giving you trouble, here you are.
     I know Stuart DeHaro and highly regard David Laws, having attended several of his clinics over the years.  You have excellent council.  Of course, you can always refuse service, but you may be loosing out on a great learning experience.  That is how you gain the experience everyone wants you to already have.  "I can fix anything I repair", should become your motto.
One of my students once told me, "You didn't teach me how to repair band instruments, you taught me how to THINK ABOUT repairing band instruments."  I think this is important!
     Approach every job with these things in mind;  1) I have to fix this so the next guy won't have any extra problems because of what I did; because, the next guy might be me.  2) Whatever I do, it should be invisible; no one, maybe even me, should be able to see what I've done because, the best repair is an invisible repair.  3) Patience, Common Sense and my Accumulated Skill will bail me out on this.
  You will be fine.  There is no test for ambition or desire, only aptitude.
               Do not hesitate to communicate,  Gary FerRee

P.S.  You may mount the bearing into the fixture either way, but keep in mind that you want to apply pressure on the thicker part to make the overall diameter larger.  The thin part does not play into the fitting, it is just a stop; to keep the bearing from inserting too far into the casing.
     If you create a burr on the reveal edge, it will give you a false reading.  Make sure you remove any burr before you test fit the bearing into the casing.  Move slow when making these fitments. G