Repairing Wood-Wind Instruments
Wood-wind instruments sometimes “leak” at the joints or keys and make playing of the instrument difficult. Many such instruments are made in sections, with ends that telescope to form a tight fit. This fit is maintained by the use of a cork band cemented around the tenon end of the telescoping joint. The renewal of these cork joints, and the addition of new pads on the keys, will make an old instrument nearly as good as it was when new, so far as playing is concerned, provided the work is correctly done and the wood of the sections themselves has not cracked. Many musicians have spare time and can do this work themselves. The outlay for materials for the job is from 75 cents to $1.00. A small alcohol, or even a kerosene, lamp and an old knife, or old file, are required.
The Cork is Fitted Carefully into Place, and Glued
The Cork is Fitted Carefully into Place, and Glued
All traces of the old cork on the joint can be removed with sandpaper, leaving it as shown at the left. The cork comes in strips of about the proper thickness, and wide and long enough to allow for trimming. The ends of thestrip should be beveled to make a ¹⁄₄-in. lap joint.
A small quantity of the cement is heated over the lamp and six drops poured on the joint; then with the end of the file, which should be heated also, it is spread to give an even, thin coating. The beveled ends of the strip are similarly treated. By working quickly and carefully, the coating on the joint and strip are brought to a plastic state by holding in the flame, and the strip is quickly laid in place. Before the cement has time to harden, press the cork in, forming a neat joint. Bind a rag around the cork, leaving it until the cement is thoroughly set.
The corked joint will be too large to go into the joining section of the instrument. File and sandpaper it to a twisting fit. Though the cork should be truly cylindrical, it may be tapered a trifle smaller at the forward end. A coating of tallow applied to the joint will make it easy-fitting, but air-tight and moisture-proof.
The pads are disks of felt incased in thin sheepskin. After long usage, they become too hard to make an air-tight fit. Repadding should, therefore, be anticipated. Shellac will give good results in putting on pads. It is heated until liquid and poured into the key recess. The new pad is pressed into the liquid shellac, care being taken to have it well centered. For different keys, it will be necessary to use varying quantities of shellac to make the pad sit higher or lower, as required.—Donald A. Hampson, Middletown, N. Y.
¶A simple method of bracing a screen door is to stretch a stout wire diagonally across the lower portion of it.
¶A simple method of bracing a screen door is to stretch a stout wire diagonally across the lower portion of it.