Finally, a tool that saves saxes!
Ferree's New Z60-50 "Finger
Tool"
(Sax Tone Hole and
Body Burnishing Set)
(Will also do flute bodies, using the Z60-39 flute body mandrel)
Guido Fraipont of Musique Fraipont, worked our Frankfurt
Messe booth again this year.
He was an inspired
student in 1981 and 1982 and continues the work with a passion.
Guido owns a shop and store in Belgium, he took a Z60-50 set home with him,
too!
Getting around the small holes, look where the body was really
smashed with pliers.
See how close you can get to the tone-holes and the smoothness
the tool leaves.
It only took about 2 or 3 minutes for each of these
gash dents.
Tight spots, too!
Notice how the lacquer, is STILL smooth and unaffected, except where the
smashes WERE.
None of these dents took over 3 to 5 minutes to smooth out; like they
were never there.
~Flute pictures below~
I wish I had figured this out about 30 years ago! Over the years, I've
always wondered WHY tone holes get high in the middle, even with no apparent
damage. It seems we ALL have been filing the tone holes to get them level for
as long as I can remember; after raising what we could with a dent ball and rod,
by either just pushing and/or maybe rebounding.
Then, a couple years or so ago, it occurred to me that all saxes are weak
on the "tone-holed side", as there is less material to keep the body straight.
I have straightened a lot of otherwise, 'just fine', sax bodies. But, I
have also taken wood blocks and knocked down the high side of the body radius so
that I wouldn't have to file SO MUCH; like on a baritone sax body. The school
horns, of course, were much more damaged than a private or pro horn, but still,
there you were, sawing the tone hole with a file to try and get it flat for good
pad sealing.
Sometimes, when doing this "wood blocking", the body would get to look like
an eaves-trough; you know, round on the bottom and flat across the top. Not
real pretty, but no one noticed, because of the size or didn't care because it
worked and played well, but, the method did, 'kind of', preserve the tone holes.
I also did this wood blocking method on one of Jr. Walker's horns(#2), that
he dropped some 12 feet off a stage. What a mess, I had just completely
overhauled it about 2 or 3 weeks earlier and didn't want to file on the holes
AGAIN. So, I used "the method". Couldn't really hurt anything, I guessed; and
it DID get the job done, fairly quick.
So, here it
is!
Our Z60 dent machine has been in production for OVER 42 years and Repairmen
are using it for many jobs we never even thought of back then. Many Repairmen
are still using it for many uses it was NOT designed for and here is another
one of those unintended uses.
With this ALL NEW Z60-50 Tonehole and Body Burnishing Set of tools,
introduced at the 2006 NAMM show in January, 2006, you have, still another "arrow in
your quiver of tools." A tool that has already been nicknamed, the
"Finger Tool", by most of those who use it or have seen it work.
HERE IS HOW IT WORKS
In the set of tools are 7 mandrels for inside the body. There are also 4
Burnishers that fit into the supplied adapter for the pressure wheel quill.
These mandrels will cover fit from an alto and tenor through a baritone sax
body and if you need a larger one, there is a larger one that came with the
machine when you got it. I think that the ones that come with it will be
sufficient. Unless you are trying to do a bell, which this tool was NOT intended
to do. Nor was it intended for the bottom bow or any curved tubing. Just the
straight tapered part; between and around tone holes. It is important for the
body to be kept FIRMLY flat on the mandrel with your hands. You will watch and
feel this process!
Directions for the Z60-50 Sax Tonehole/Bore Tool (Read Twice)
These tools allows you to remove dents from between toneholes, as
well as around the perimeter of toneholes on saxophones and is also able
to do quite a bit on flutes, using the smallest burnisher of the Z60-50 set
along with the Z60-39 flute body mandrel we've had for a few years now.
The Z60-50 consists of: 1
- Adapter for your Pressure
Adjuster
4 - Different sized Burnishers
(fingers!)
7 - Different sized Sax Body
mandrels
"Here I am using the very
FIRST Z60-50 in the universe.
Sorry it took so long to
send you a picture."
Jeff Peterson, Horn
Improvement, Mission Veijo, CA
(Indeed, Jeff DID buy the finished prototype Z60-50
FIRST displayed at NAMM in January, 2007)
For successful use of this tool, Ferree's Z6 MUST be added to
your
petroleum jelly as per the instructions.
When using this tool it is important to have clean surfaces to work with;
if there is any debris on the body or in the body, it may harm the job and the
surface of the instrument, not to mention the finished face of the "fingers". The new Z60-50 accomplishes a couple things at
once; so move slowly for the best results. This tool exemplifies that,
"Haste makes Waste".
This series of tools makes it possible for you, for the first time,
to take out dents or bulges between the tone holes. Additionally, it makes it
possible to essentially, kind of, "redraw" the hole from the body by raising the
tall side of the tone hole by basically pushing the short side down, in relation
to the tall side, thus restoring the correct bore profile in the vicinity of the
hole in question. Actually, you are bending the tonehole around the
restored bore, putting everything back where it started out. The long
sides come up, like shrugging your shoulders, so to speak.
After a sax has been in the field for a few years and suffered some damage
here and there, including bending of the body and various dents and "dentwork",
the body becomes distorted and takes on a kind of teardrop profile which raises
the short side of the tone hole either by flex or rebounding dent methods;
leaving it ripe for having the short side filed down even shorter than it was, so
that eventually the pads may contact the body instead of the tone hole or with
the tone hole, therefore, shortening the useful life of the instrument.
The idea here is to restore, as close as possible the original rounded bore
of the instrument, essentially raising the taller side of the tone hole which is
lower compared to the short side in relationship to the body and extending the
life of the instrument. Just draw a circle and an egg, small side up, and put a
tone hole on the top of both to SEE what is going on. As the circle becomes an
egg, the tone hole bends with it, making the short wall of the tone hole higher
and
needing to be cut down shorter; and closer to the new "egged" body profile.
Physically, you can NOT raise the tall side of a
tonehole, because, it is "downhill"
from the
short side, which is on the cusp of the small end of the egg. Basically, when we
change it back to a round profile, it is like the tone hole is "shrugging its
shoulders" and the tall side is raised or floated back up, on, or I guess
around, the bore.
First, after any necessary cleaning is completed, pick the body mandrel
which best fits the area of necessary work. Try to center the tone hole on the
mandrel and still allow space to move an inch or so laterally without bottoming
out within the bore at the smaller end with the mandrel.
You need to start burnishing FROM the hole OUT to
the body area FIRST.
If you start out, on the body and go to the hole, you will create "curb",
which you DO NOT WANT. START AT the hole with the SMALL burnisher,
FIRST. BE SURE to apply the Z6 laced petroleum jelly, on the body, on the
mandrel, and under the head of the burnisher (finger).
If a sharp dent or kink is the major problem, do a "rough out" job first,
using regular repair procedures; BEFORE using this tool OR use the
largest finger for a couple stokes only, then go back to the smaller finger. The Z60-50 set is a
"smoother" and "finisher" in this process.
Starting right next to the tonehole, establish the metal to metal contact
on an undamaged area so that you know about where your "Zero Point" is going to
be. ZERO is anywhere the pressure wheel stops, when just making a metal to metal
contact. Look at the handle location or the spokes of the pressure wheel and just keep this
position in mind as you work; this is, YOUR ZERO. (Zero may be at any
quadrant hour position, to make it easier to remember) A rule of thumb here is,
"Never use more than two complete turns!" (from your Zero), if you use more pressure, you may
cause yourself trouble.
Now, move the burnisher around the tone hole, by moving
and keeping the sax body firmly
on the mandrel in such a way that the burnisher stays next to the hole while, and
at the same time, keeping your hand pressure (both hands) securely holding the
body down on to the mandrel. As you get this work done, you will want to
preceed to the next larger finger burnisher.
Only increase, one size at a time. Also, only increase
or decrease the
pressure a quarter turn at a time; when you have exhausted all use of
the present setting. You will also want to rotate the body around the bore with
the larger burnisher to recontour the body shape to its original round bore
configuration. When doing this, you can merely move the body in a rotary way on
the mandrel (both hands) to accomplish this, in fact, you can go in just about
any direction as long as you keep the body firmly planted on the mandrel. If
you let it tip, you may let the burnisher dig into the body slightly or scrape
the lacquer. So, pay close attention to keeping the body ON the mandrel,
with
both hands, so that the burnisher only burnishes. DO NOT use too much
pressure or you will have trouble moving the body AND you can flex the smaller
mandrel and make it harder on yourself. You may have to go to a larger
burnisher, if space permits, or reduce pressure by backing off the pressure
wheel.
So, basically, you start with a small mandrel increasing to larger ones as
you go. If you move to a different tone hole, you may have to change mandrel
sizes; trying to stay centered on the mandrel. You may have to change positions
occasionally depending on the tonehole placement and body relationship.
Please, NOTE that when moving the body radially around the mandrel the
contact area you are using is a very thin line on the burnisher which is only as
wide as the burnisher is. (Example: On the 3/8" burnisher, your contact spot is
3/8" wide and a pencil line thick where touching the radius of the body and the
mandrel under it.) When you are using the 3/8" burnisher going around toneholes
or laterally, you are only using this same small area of the burnisher, a
pencil line wide across the diameter of the burnisher, since the leeward
sides are kind of "suspended" in mid air, as they can not connect with
anything. (Like a ruler, laying on a ball.)
This is why when working right next to the tone hole, you
use the smallest burnisher, which is about 3/16". The contact point is still
only a thin pencil line wide and the length laterally of 3/16" but, the contact point is now closer
to
the tonehole by only 1/2 of the diameter of the surface of the burnisher, or
just 3/32", the sides STILL are out in the air, but you are still closer and
actually approximating the radius of the tonehole from the body or close enough
that no one will notice; the sides of the burnisher are essentially still out in
space.
It does not take long to accomplish a finished job, usually
less than
4 -5 minutes per hole. And if you do it correctly, the finish is not damaged to
the point of having to refinish. You MAY SEE some work marks, but, the
alternative is that nothing is done and all the inherent problems remain.
Work marks can be reduced by using LESS pressure and keeping the body tightly on
the body mandrel so that all moves are between parallel surfaces. This tool can
extend the life of the instrument, reduce the amount of material removal
necessary to establish a good level tone hole and restore the proper roundness
of the body profile close to when it was new.
These directions may sound difficult, but do not let that deter you. It
really works quite simply and you will be amazed while you are watching the
dents and creases disappear. In most cases you will not be able to feel any
ribs or wrinkles, even with a fingernail. You will notice the roundness of the
bore with your fingertips being very smooth and unblemished. And, if you pay
close attention you may not even damage the finish. It has not been a problem.
We do demonstrations with very severe dents at conventions, MORE severe
than that found in normal repair situations, and no problems have occurred. In
some cases, you will have to remove a post or two, if they are smashed in or
obstructing you from getting in as close where you want to be. Many times, you
do not need to go completely all the way around the hole. Just do what you
must!
So, what's the big deal? The Z60-50 takes out dents in saxes, BETWEEN &
AROUND the tone holes. Quickly, easily and without a hassle. The main thing
is it takes the tone hole back to "flat" so there is much less filing; if any. It also
works on flutes, using the Z60-39 Flute Body Mandrel we've had for a few years
now. The Z60-50 was designed for the purpose of preserving tone holes, not necessarily removing
dents, but it does both.
Nothing is "foolproof", but this is close. Z6 mixed in your
petroleum
jelly is, of course, MANDATORY. The addition of the Z60-40 Strut, which
we've had for 3 or 4 years now, adds stability to the process, you may already
have one. I recommend using it, for "ease of use".
The Z60-50 is only
$239.50+s/h
You can barely see where we smashed a
This
photo shows you how
close
hardened steel hex on the body with a hammer.
you
can get to the tone hole,
The tool burnished the silver to a polished
finish. as described
above.
Here is another shot of the crease dent.
Gets in tight
spots, too!
This dent or crease WAS about 5/8"
(15mm) wide and 3/32" (2.4mm) deep!
Another
spot finished off. This is
a
distance shot, of the top photo.
~Letter from a satisfied user of this tool~
Dear Gary,
I just wanted to drop you a line to let you know how I appreciated you and Curtis modifying my Z60
burnishing machine the same day I brought it in. It is doing brisk business
since. I did paint it green.
The Z60-50 I bought the same day sat in the box for the first week, but, I broke it out to do 2 Selmer Mark
VI's. One bari one alto. The alto had a dented in high E post which distorted the tone hole.
The Z60-50
not only brought up the dent but rounded the tone hole so that no filing was necessary to seat the pad.
All in 30 Min. Since this was the first time I used it I'm sure the time can be cut down substantially
with practice.
The bari had a crushed bell bow And the Z60-50 did well on the Eb tone hole, but, what really impressed me
was the job it did straightening the bent body tube.
Thanks again. Hope this note finds you and your family in good health.
Sincerely,
Bruce Meck
Taylor Band & Orchestra
Ferree's Tools-"the most copied tools in the world"
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