[PigSquealer]

The upper stack rod is really long on this one. Yet it’s still perfectly straight and aligns spot on with the end post.

Removing the rollers can be really easy or disastrous. These were well soaked also with penetrant. Make sure the roller is turning and not the hinge pin. Otherwise there is a chance when you turn the screw you can crack the roller in half. Sometimes a little heat will help. Be careful ! Some of the rollers are plastic and some are mother of pearl. Neither like heat.
keep things sorted whatever way works. Notes or hieroglyphics.

Anywhere on a sax if you can’t get grip on part to pull it out. Use soft jaw pliers like these brass ones. Just make sure to grab cross the screw slot so you don’t crush it closed. Essentially there’s no salvaging that oops ! Yeah you can spread the piece apart again. But you’re just setting yourself up for failure on another day. It will break off.

it’s also possible to grab a rod with these same pliers and lightly tap with a mallet. But keep in mind the hammering may also knock a post out of alignment. Typically I use this technique when needle springs are in the vicinity. I don’t like getting stuck.
Everything is a judgment call.

 

[NO SAX]

I see you also invested in the proper tools for the job. A pair of pliers and a screw will not get the job done🤭

 

[PigSquealer]

I see you also invested in the proper tools for the job. A pair of pliers and a screw will not get the job done🤭

Yes tech’s do invest / make a fair amount of tools to make quality repairs.

 

[Travsax]

I have a Martin Indiana tenor that I have just sent in for a repad and service. Here are some pictures showing some of the issues I’ve observed. The left hand thumb rest was small and uncomfortable, so I augmented it with some poster putty as a temporary fix. The bell C cup guard has been repaired before, but currently it doesn’t vent sufficiently for the D to play in tune.

Above all, the saxophone is just too musty to play. I dated it to around 1958–1961 with the help of the Cafe Saxophone post linked above. It appears the majority of the pads, lacking resonators, have never been replaced. Some were replaced with overly-thick pads with domed plastic resonators. The pads will be replaced with flat metal resonator pads of the correct thickness. The old pads, impregnated with the musty odor, actually sealed remarkably well despite their age. I was able to play down to low B flat with little trouble aside from the health hazards associated with the mustiness.

 

[PigSquealer]

I have a Martin Indiana tenor that I have just sent in for a repad and service. Here are some pictures showing some of the issues I’ve observed. The left hand thumb rest was small and uncomfortable, so I augmented it with some poster putty as a temporary fix. The bell C cup guard has been repaired before, but currently it doesn’t vent sufficiently for the D to play in tune.

Above all, the saxophone is just too musty to play. I dated it to around 1958–1961 with the help of the Cafe Saxophone post linked above. It appears the majority of the pads, lacking resonators, have never been replaced. Some were replaced with overly-thick pads with domed plastic resonators. The pads will be replaced with flat metal resonator pads of the correct thickness. The old pads, impregnated with the musty odor, actually sealed remarkably well despite their age. I was able to play down to low B flat with little trouble aside from the health hazards associated with the mustiness.
View attachment 143690
View attachment 143691
View attachment 143692
View attachment 143693 View attachment 143688

Looks very worthy of full repad Service. Tha wire guard on D needs some attention. What ?
compare some pictures and make adjustments as needed.
http://www.themartinstory.net/version7/Indiana/Indiana-79015-tenor-1.jpg

 

[PigSquealer]

Keys removed its time to remove springs and pads. Caddy is scrap of plastic. Get a starter hole going with a nail. Keep them sorted. Number on left is thickness (40=0,40mm) and length. #0-80 is screw size. Length is 1/8’.

To remove the screw put a hole in your palm first.

Then put a nice gash in your finger.

Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18

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Next
Cover your vise with tape to prevent part scratches.
.

Then proceed to bend the key cup like a taco.

If you press down hard enough you’ll master bending the hinge tube too !

After you’re done researching parts availability (and find none) . This is how you do the others.

part soaked in penetrant days before
Part solidly backed on rubber or wood block. Hold the part and turn screwdriver whilst moving the spring sideways simultaneously the same direction.

 

[PigSquealer]

Neck octave screw is to thin for my likes. Replace it !

Notes, R&R S-C spring
Foot on spring is gone.

Ready to clean

 

[Travsax]

Looks very worthy of full repad Service. Tha wire guard on D needs some attention. What ?
compare some pictures and make adjustments as needed.
http://www.themartinstory.net/version7/Indiana/Indiana-79015-tenor-1.jpg View attachment 143723

Thanks for the feedback. Did you mean the wire guard on C? Looking at this image, I see that wire guard is even worse than I thought.

 

[PigSquealer]

Thanks for the feedback. Did you mean the wire guard on C? Looking at this image, I see that wire guard is even worse than I thought.

Yes the wire guard on C. Where this mounts to the right on the bell side. There is lacquer loss at all three mounting points. No big deal. Just signs that it has been repaired previously. These things get knocked off easily. It’s not a cattleguard. Your technician should easily be able to sort things out.

 

[PigSquealer]

All the pads are out.

Pay attention to the key cups with recesses for the pearls. Sometimes you need to iron the back of the pad down some or grind a little off. Do not grind the key cup!

Original factory installation. They used very little shellac.

before I removed the pads I noted any that were off-center. Sometimes a little adjustment can be made. I will do this during the dry fitting of the new pads.

Random thickness check. Make sure the new pads are equal or a little thinner.

anatomy of a pad. Leather, woven felt and cardboard back.

Yeah these pads were old. The weather was very dry and easily ripped by hand.

 

[PigSquealer]

While the cups were still hot. I gave them a courtesy wipe to remove any old shellac. Keep the face of the key cup on a clean towel while wiping with a disposable rag. This prevents melting any shellac on the front of the key cup. A mess you don’t want to be cleaning up !

after cleaning I made sure the cups were flat and round. A quick review to see that they were parallel with the hinge tube.

Next I straightened the high E key. This wasn’t very bad so I used my small vice lined with tape. A gentle squeeze at right angles brought it true. Sometimes rotating works. It’s all a judgment call. Some of these tubes are hollow. Gentle squeeze don’t smash!

next I wrote the sizes down inside the cups and made a list. Make sure you count the cups. Don’t forget the neck octave or body octave! The count can be 24 to 26.

 

[PigSquealer]

Before washing the key work. I ran a pipe cleaner through all the hinge tubes with a little lighter (zippo) fluid. Everything goes in a wash bucket with cold water and Dawn dish soap. this is also safe for silver plate. Don’t use Palmolive or others with bisulfate. It will turn the silver black !!!

Rinse well and pat everything dry. Be careful not to snag the towel on any spring cradles. Blow the hinge tubes out with compressed air or by mouth. No you don’t have to put your mouth on the end🤦‍♂️ I like to finish drying with a hair dryer set on high blow and medium temperature. If you can’t hold your hand in front of it it’s too hot.

Time to straighten the cloth guard. Same technique as used for the side E. Although I did use a flat jewelers anvil to check parallel. Final fit done after I straighten the wire guard on the bell.

 

[PigSquealer]

Keywork prepared it’s time to work on the body. Just like the keys I cleaned every post with a pipe cleaner and lighter fluid. In the wash sink with Dawn dish soap I let it soak for about a half hour. Occasionally agitating and brushing with a very soft brush. Depending on the Saxophone some you can let soak for hours and others you better not. Lacquer loss being the issue.

While the body was soaking I cleaned the hinge rods. I can hear some of viewers whimpering. They’re all different sizes. Don’t worry. It only goes together one way!
All by hand using 000 extra fine steel wool. Sanding/polishing using a bench motor/drill motor only removes metal. Don’t forget to clean the screw slots!

Do keep all the pivot screws in sequence. They are all the same and long-term ware will vari.

Unlike the key work I use compressed air to blow everything off. Especially around where the springs are inserted into the posts. I do finish with a warm blow from the hairdryer. Make sure everything is good and dry. Then apply a little WD-40 to the springs to prevent rust. Use a Q-tip as an applicator.

Old polish often does not come out in the wash. Detail these areas with a very fine soft toothbrush. Be careful not to be too aggressive. You’ll end up with swirl marks all around the part.

bottom of the bowl came out nice and clean. That solder spot should be there. It’s plugging a hole in the bottom of the bow. Typical of Martin’s.

 

[PigSquealer]

Time to do some dent work and straighten the wire guards.
Before and after pictures. this is extremely difficult to photograph. Doesn’t show much.
The wire guard at top towards the bell was pushed in quite a bit.

 

[PigSquealer]

 

[PigSquealer]

I have a couple thousand pads on hand. I’m going with what was originally installed. Rivets keep that great Martin sound. If you haven’t played one on rivets you’ll be surprised !

This is how rivets are installed when needed.

Pads selected I’m now ready to check tone holes for level and do a dry fit of the keywork & pads

 

[PigSquealer]

Prior to dismantling I did check the body tube for straightness. This is done by looking in the end of the receiver down the walls of the tube. Little to no curvature should be visible. Quite normal to see some curvature where the body to Bell brace is. That’s mostly where they bend. Secondly I check across the tone holes with a straight edge once dismantled. If the stacks don’t bind leave it alone.

Martins have really stout tone holes. I only needed to adjust the two on the bell where the wire guard had been bent. No surprise. I use grade 8 washers that have been machined perfectly flat on my lathe to check level. I don’t file unless absolutely necessary. Burnish down the high spots. You can only remove the metal once ! The red lifter pictured below I made on my 3-D printer.

Next I sorted the rods to their respective locations. The long ones are easy as no two or close to the same size. The little ones are a little more challenging. Measure the length starting with the longest. Then check the distance on the mounting posts. Match accordingly. these were all the same diameter and enough difference in the length to easily match location.

not long enough

 

[Hornlip]

Great thread really enjoying it.

Is that a “portable” vise? Looks like you’ve got it mounted on a board and can move it around? This is a great idea and just solved part of a where-to-put-a-vise problem I have.

I have a couple thousand pads on hand. I’m going with what was originally installed. Rivets keep that great Martin sound. If you haven’t played one on rivets you’ll be surprised !

My Committee I alto has rivet pads and I intend to keep it that way.

 

[PigSquealer]

Great thread really enjoying it.

Is that a “portable” vise? Looks like you’ve got it mounted on a board and can move it around? This is a great idea and just solved part of a where-to-put-a-vise problem I have.



My Committee I alto has rivet pads and I intend to keep it that way.

Thanks ! Glad you’re enjoying the thread.
Necessity being the mother of invention. Yeah it’s mounted on a plank with three big wood screws from a door hinge.
This is a old Yankee vise I acquired at a yard sale for $10. Smooth jaws and a quick release pivoting base.

 

[PigSquealer]

I decided before doing the dry pad fit to check the neck fit. wasn’t really bad. The thumbscrew at 1/4 turn did lock it in place. Still a little room for improvement. I started with some blue marking die and measurements.

It was a little low on the front/bell side. Using extreme caution I rolled just the back some making sure it stayed round.

Once I got it exactly where I wanted I checked contact. Three bands of marking die around the tenon and pushed straight in. I knew I was close. I couldn’t cote the part like in the first picture. It just wouldn’t go with that thick of a layer.

Measuring up and down and then down the sides to make sure it wasn’t tapered.

measurement from inside the receiver.

It’s snug dry. With a drop of oil glides on no problem. rotates all the way around without any tight spots or loose spots. Time to leave it alone and leak test. I placed a rubber stopper in the receiver. Installed the neck. With my finger over the PIP I could blow or suck until my ears wiggled. It’s good👍