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Clarinet Barrel Boring (boring not boring)

3K views 25 replies 7 participants last post by  Lambros 
#1 ·
Who can recommend a clarinet tech who is expert at boring a barrel to perfection? I have an aftermarket wood barrel, 64mm, that I would like to have bored to the in and outgoing dimensions of my Selmer Series 9 66mm barrel. I do a lot of stuff myself but this is not one.
 
#2 ·
Just out of curiosity, why do you think the barrel needs to be bored?
Have you measured the ID on the bottom of the barrel and top of the top joint and found a gross discrepancy?
 
#5 ·
Buffets, some time ago now, proudly announced their "polycylindrical bore.
AFAIK that largely referred to the barrel being of smaller bore than the rest.
I think Selmer probably do similarly.

If you just want it bored out to a specific diameter, that is pretty easy for any technician with a lathe.
what acoustic effects that will have is anybody'es guess unless they are one of the very rare people who have profound expertise in the acoustic deign of clarinets.
 
#7 ·
I can't tell you (don't know the exact manufacturer) who made this generic wood barrel. The task is to match my Series 9 bore in diameter and taper and have it come out very smooth. Should be easy for the skilled in this area. Socket depth is OK.
 
#11 ·
If it was so cheap, put some sandpaper on your finger and have at it.
Since you have a way to measure the ID you shouldn't have much difficulty keeping the sidewall dimensions uniform. The taper.... you'll have to rely on tactile input.
 
#12 ·
Yeah, that's where this thing is going. The only issue is the burnishing to a shine. It's gonna be a project when I have absolutely nothing else to do around the house, perhaps in January when the gigs aren't there working outdoors is not an option.
 
#15 ·
I can't see how a small increment in barrel diameter creates "resistance".
I suspect you may have a leak or three.

It is quite possible that the original barrel was even smaller bore. It is common for the barrel diameter to be slightly smaller than the rest of the body.
 
#20 ·
I've played a few Series 9 clarinets in good repair, and resistance is never an issue, at least with a stock Selmer barrel. They blow like crazy. Many of the aftermarket mouthpieces available are Kaspar copies and have a bore to match old large bore clarinets like the Series 9. Some of the interest in aftermarket barrels is in trying to transition from those mouthpieces to smaller bore clarinets like the R13. It's a better solution to look for a used Series 9 barrel in the length you need than to diddle around with sounds like a cheap aftermarket barrel.If the horn is still resistant with a Series 9 barrel, then I agree with Gordon, you have leaks.
 
#21 ·
No leaks, not one. The horn plays wonderfully with the stock 66mm barrel. The task was to match the bore of a no-name 64mm grenadilla wood barrel to the stock barrel dimensions, well, for short barrel purposes. It's not an urgency but it is nice to play in tune in a cold hall as the weather turns. The resistance with a smaller bore barrel on a large bore clarinet is very real.
 
#22 ·
Bring it to me and I'll do it for $35.
(Shipping is probably not viable. Nor is bringing it!)
However don't come to me later saying it is 0.02mm out in diameter, or not shiny enough.
The cost is in bringing it to standards a fussy customer might want.
The cost is also in devising a method of holding a barrel securely in a chuck, but I resolved that one decades ago so the effort does no owe me anything.
 
#23 ·
You don't need to ship it to Gordon just to have the dimensions of your 66 mm barrel copied in your short barrel, which seems to be what you need. I'm sure there are a number of techs in or near Connecticut with the necessary skills. Have you checked "the auction site that shall not be named"? I've seen both used and new old stock Series 9 barrels in various lengths offered for sale there, at prices that compete with the cost of having a tech turn your barrel.
 
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