[stitch]

I wasn't sure whether to put this here or in the doubling/clarinet forum, so I hope I made the right choice.

Anyway, I recently came across something called Chair Doctor Glue for repairing loose rungs and the like. It 'soaks into the end grain, swells the wood then "freezes" it in its swollen state as it cures'. I was wondering if it might work on cracked wooden clarinets. I very strongly suspect not, partly as grenadilla is much more dense than most furniture woods, but also as the end grain isn't exposed. It could be good if it did work though - has anybody tried it?

Secondly, there's been a fair amount of discussion about oiling clarinets, but does anybody know about the properties and suitability of tung oil (I've been looking at a wood working catalogue, as you can probably tell) - too thick, too sticky, just plain no good for clarinets?

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

"It soaks into the end grain..."
It tends to take hours for even low viscosity material to soak into grenadilla.

"...swells the wood ..."
Grenadila is chosen for calrinets mainly for its dimensional stability. So I guess swelling would be minimal.

I very much doubt it LOCALISED swelling would expand grenadilla sufficiently to fill a crack, without introducing other severe stresses, ready for a split close by.

BTW is it a superglue type of glue?

Tung oil is a plant oil. Therfore it oxidises and polymerises sooner or later. I have had this had this happen on a fine timber article I made. I have yet to find a way to remove it. Eventually my whole tin of tung oil polymerised to the consistency of half-set varnish.

Lovely oil while it is an oil, but I would keep it well away from a clarinet.

 

[stitch]

"It soaks into the end grain..."
It tends to take hours for even low viscosity material to soak into grenadilla.

"...swells the wood ..."
Grenadila is chosen for calrinets mainly for its dimensional stability. So I guess swelling would be minimal.

I very much doubt it LOCALISED swelling would expand grenadilla sufficiently to fill a crack, without introducing other severe stresses, ready for a split close by.

BTW is it a superglue type of glue?

Thank you Gordon, that's pretty much what I thought. Just did a quick search, and it's a PVA rather than a super - glue.

Tung oil is a plant oil. Therfore it oxidises and polymerises sooner or later. I have had this had this happen on a fine timber article I made. I have yet to find a way to remove it. Eventually my whole tin of tung oil polymerised to the consistency of half-set varnish.

Lovely oil while it is an oil, but I would keep it well away from a clarinet.

Thanks again. So did it set to sticky consistency on your piece?

 

[Isle of Jazz]

There are some good bore oils available, specifically formulated for the job. Doctor's (which I've used myself) and Naylor's are two of them. I'd really advise using those or something similar rather than applying furniture oil. Tung oil, while great stuff for floors and trim is made to polymerize and dry with a varnish-like coating. You want something that will penetrate and leave only a slight trace to be swabbed out.

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

...So did it set to sticky consistency on your piece?

Yes. The stickiness rendered the wooden puzzle unusable, because pieces could no longer slide easily over each other.

 

[bandmommy]

Gordon,
We've had differences on opinion on numerous occasions.
I was wondering if you were aware that Tung Oil comes in different formulations. There is a Tung Oil based Varnish and Pure Tung Oil.

Pure Tung Oil soaks in very well and doesn't leave a sticky residue.
Tung Oil Varnish on the other hand does give the results you mentioned.
Could you have accidentally picked up a tin of varnish and not one of Pure oil?

To remove it from your timber atricle; try one of the many varnish removers that are available at your local hardware/do it yourself store.

 

[hornfixer]

I recently came across something called Chair Doctor Glue for repairing loose rungs and the like. It 'soaks into the end grain, swells the wood then "freezes" it in its swollen state as it cures'. I was wondering if it might work on cracked wooden clarinets.

I always use a threaded pin to repair a clarinet crack.
No glue will hold.

 

[stitch]

I always use a threaded pin to repair a clarinet crack.

Me too, but I have an enquiring mind ....

 

[wilsaxo]

Graphite banding is my preferred crack repair method. Check out J. L. Smith and Co. for supplies and instruction.

David