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Tips from here and there.I haven't tried ALL of these, but, they sound good.
Had a call the other day about the Buffet Clarinet nibs (nubs?) on the C#
& low B levers. Seems they are plastic and they eventually break. I got word that the easiest
way to fix them is to make a replacement from 2mm weedwacker cord. Just put a little bit in your bench
motor, carefully round off the end sticking out with a small file or something and then take the piece and
glue it into the key. Looks factory and is likely tougher.
Flute pad openings-
Here is a little difference of opinion on specifications, but they are soooo
close; the best way, is to try them and see how it sounds.
Various flute pad opening suggestions:
Location Ferree's
Phelan/Brody
(from book) Butkevicious
trill & hi C .080"
.100" (& thumb)
.110"
body joint .110"
.120"-.125" .125", G# .100"
.125"
foot joint .150"
.135" D# .125", C,C#,B .135"
.135"
Basically, just open the cup up until the note plays clearly. These are
all, just starting points.
French Horn stringing-
It is important to remember when stringing a rotor
valve; that the strings do not touch; as that increases wear and binding up, etc. They
may work, despite this, but, try to have them NOT touch; sometimes you can
achieve this by bending the angled, strung arm up or down. On occassion,
you have to bend the arm toward or away from the stop arm.
We call
this, "string over" or "string under", as to where the strings wind up. Conn
horns, to my memory were all "string under"; I think King's were "string over".
What decides this for you is the leverage and attack angle of the key hinge rod
elevation versus the length and angle of the key arm itself. You
can usually bend the levers to prevent the strings from rubbing on each other.
That is most likely how they came to be rubbing on each other in the first
place; incurred damage or a bad repair job. Maybe even, a bad string job
from a non-professional.
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.
Better dent work using your dent hammer- (excerpt)
Normally, you would use round balls (N80D's or E's) screwed on 5/8" or
3/4" rods like N31's or an N74 mounted in a vise with a V-block to form the
tubing around. With this setup you would use an F10A or B dent hammer to burnish (Read
that: "hammer off
center") and push the metal back to a nice cylindrical form. You are not
supposed to hammer, directly ON a ball. You use the ball as a form or mandrel and
then hammer (Read that; "burnish") right next to the ball radius; essentially making the ball a
hammer or form, from the inside out. Tunk - Tunk not Tink - Tink. Okay?
Best wishes for Good repairs,
Gary
P.S. Remember, the more you hammer direct, the
thinner and harder and larger the metal gets and work hardening sometimes creates cracks.
You may have to anneal, and that gets messy with all the posts and sometimes
tone holes. But, if you label everything and draw some pictures you will
probably be okay, anyway, lacking a Z60 and either a Z61,61E Base or
a 61S Stand and some toys, of course. Then, the dents just kind of roll out.
There are times however, that you must anneal BEFORE using even the dent
machine. Like when two creases intersect (cross each other) and it causes
a high stress area which will turn into a hole. THEN, you are looking to
use some F44 or J61 low temp silversolder for sure. J61 is included in the
handy J60 Silver Solder Kit ($19.50+s/h).
Schilke Valve data-
This was sent to me some time back~
Reynold Schilke (d. 1982) Trumpets (1956- )
M Series: Used Yamaha casings from 1972 - 1982.
" ser.#20,000 up to 29,999
REAL Schilke: 0-7800+
& 30,000+ Valve size difference from Yamaha and possibly each other!
Braces between casings:
REAL Schilke: Straight tubing, hexagon stock
Yamaha Schilke: bowed tubing, round stock
Serial number placement on valve casings:
REAL Schilke: Face bell(?)
Yamaha Schilke: Face receiver(?)
Yamalloy pistons-"stick due to personal chemistry",
Z8
helps clear this up.
Pulling half-tone crooks-
When pulling a stuck slide on a cornet
or trumpet, and the rawhide
gives up; try using an old 'catgut' bass fiddle (violin) string. It is strong, it fits and it's
long.
Don't use the metal part or a metal string. This from John
Armstrong; New Castle,
New South Wales, Australia. By phone!
Selling your repair work-
Just an answer on where to get special
repair parts-
Dear Deb,
Any medium well equipped repair shop should have
the necessary tools and parts to fabricate for you a correct new rod. Call them
first and ask if they have the proper sized drill rod to make the rod from; then
ask if they have the correct sized die, which is metric. You don't want them to
change the threads in the post to fit just whatever they happen to have because of
potential future repairs by them or someone else. Further, it will protect the
value of your instrument if the repair is invisible and un-noticeable. Make sure
they leave a reveal between the threads and the stop of the rod (the shoulder
between the threads and the rod). This will
prevent future problems. Look at the other rods as an example, it should match.
I can't really recommend anyone because I don't know where you live and even if
I did; I could not attest to their craftsmanship. Ask to see something they
already did for someone else. That's what I do. They should not be offended;
they should be proud to show you their work; even brag.
Best wishes, Gary FerRee
Gary, Thank you for the information and quick response! Deb
About the frozen valve question.
I, personally,
do not like removing metal from any horn, in any circumstance.
I don't know what
the condition of the instrument in question was but, here is how I try to approach those situations.
Try to free the valve by soaking in light oil, penetrating oil or creak oil. The new Z8 has also
been successful in this process. Sometimes a little heat helps if the valve is
frozen in the casing. Do NOT heat the Z8, it will burn; as it is in an
thin clear, solvent type, carrier. Be sure to check and make sure there is not a paperclip
or hairpin caught in the bore by looking through the ports after you remove the
tuning slides. Check with a magnet if you have too. Next, you may
want to try and push the valve piston UP, because of the guides, with a valve
mandrel or machined piece of dowel that will protect the bottom of the piston
from collapsing.
So, let's now assume you have removed the valve
safely from the casing. To get the valve to work freely in the casing: 1)
the valve must be checked and put straight. 2) the casing must be checked
and put straight. 3) they must work smoothly together! Burnish.
Using the valve mandrel and casing mandrel no grinding or other fast wear products
need be used in most cases. We do have a garnet based lapping compound that becomes
a liquid when used that is very very fine. I think more in the neighborhood
of more than 1200 - 2400 grit. We only have one grit because, it is not a good
thing to prematurely wear out a horn. Lapping compound WILL NOT free a frozen
valve, and can be used only after the valve is separated from the casing or
body of the horn. Here are some part numbers that may help.
J88A Corrosion
cracker Oil $5.50 - Always a good place to start from
Z8 Monel Oil additive $5.50
- Works for many things; and the Z6, too!
L588 Lapping compound
$10.50 - Try to do without it. Don't just use it as a matter of course.
These are all
small quantities, because the occassion seldom occurs.
Best wishes and good repairing,
Gary FerRee
A bit about flute pads-
Bundy flutes usually work just fine using ALL
our standard .114" thick pads in the big
sizes, and for the three little 11mm pads; I have always used the B21 double skinned
clarinet pads because they have a thicker cardboard on the back which keeps them flatter for better
seating and the thicker skin makes them less crinkly as far as noise goes
and more durable. At least, in my mind.
You may have to pull the fronts
of the keys
down a little on the Bundy, but you will be very close to right. Sounds to me like
someone put in the (Old Gemeinhardt style) B29 woven pads which are only .098".
Either, because they were
out of the right size or who knows what? You may have to correct for that.
You didn't tell me how thick the existing shims were.
You stated you were getting the
.114" thick, woven B38B ($10.90/set)
which is identical to the B30B ($9.10/set) except they are yellow. That is fine.
However, you may want to try some B31B's ($9.10/set) or B26B's
($12.00/set) which are identical in the same way, except they are of
needle felt, (also called pressed felt). These require your craftsmanship to be
more precise, but the benefits are:
1) they hold your specific regulation a
longer time,
2) they more 'match' the feel of older packed down woven pads in
repair situations,
3) they give the player the same firmer
'feel' they have become
used too
over their last few years of playing in repad
or overhaul
situations
4) and they last longer due to less distortion during use.
The larger price difference of the B26 pads is because they are made
from more select or premium components. Hence the approx. 10% or about $1.10
additional cost, over the B38. I believe it is worth it;
considering the labor is about 100 times that. Why get cheap on
the pads
They are only about 10% or less of the total job and;
They showcase the labor! The B26 is our
De' Jur pad for flute. The absolute best. (only $12.00/set)
The adjusting screws DO NOT RAISE THE CUPS. All they do is make it
easier to make them all hit at the same time ON THE DOWN
STROKE. That
is a common misconception. In actuality, the pad adjustment
screw only really functions in ONE direction! On the down stroke. The upstroke is governed by the
tails on the keys and/or the thickness of the corks between the tail keys and the body.
It takes more
than a dozen clips. We usually sell 18 clips at the dozen price, per each. I use the X100 pad oven.
It is well regulated to stay near 215F, consumers home ovens usually vary more than 50 degrees and can
cause solder problems. The hot air gun has been successfully used by some repairmen
in this regard. And don't forget, only ONE DROP of water per pad. Distilled
works best because there are no contaminants in it to cause problems.
I recommend you read on our web site, under "Back to Basics",
"Woodwinds", then "Flute pads", and also read "Sax Pads, and then read the flute
pads again, and back and forth as many times as it takes to get comfortable with
the mechanics of it.
Good luck and Best wishes, Gary FerRee
P.S. I assume you have an E61 (flute pad leveler {read that: bending
tool} and gauge) and E34 (to dip and spread the water); and some good
screwdrivers. Also, check into using the paper spacing washers to lower the back
of the pad if necessary. If the pads are hitting heavy in the back, index the
pad to the arm and remove some of the spacers to make them even all the way
around. With .114" pads, not much spacing is needed; as a rule.
Type A (GM) automatic transmission fluid makes very good key oil. Or,
if not available, any General Motors type, the Ford (type F) tends to be too
thick. One drop is all it takes, because it "hangs" and doesn't run all over.
G
Ferree's Tools-"Because
they work!"
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