Saxophones Pork Tales: Saxophone Repair DIY Adventures.

Life around the barn.

Tales from a pig that likes to stick his nose into everything.

Paint that S. How difficult could it be ?

1) Search the net.
2) Find the color.
3) Order color.
4) Study task on University of YouTube, aka; For destruction by DYI presented by pro tech.

Do the cleaning & prep.

Paint and cleanup / detail the edges with hard cotton swabs. Sounds easy……

Yeah tha guy Matt makes it look easy.
Anyone remember your first experience cooking bacon crispy while still in the frying pan !

 

[PigSquealer]

Dug got a good few long walks in the last few days.
One the evening before trash day. We spotted a few nice planks of old pine wood. Too much to carry. But got me thinking… Five years ago I made this mouthpiece rack from old pine wood and Mini Squealer’s broken drumsticks.
Only holds 28. It’s been full for awhile.

I went back later with the Volvo wagon. Asked the resident if I could take the wood. They laughed and said yes.
Technically here it’s against the law to salvage without permission.
The next day a trip to local home improvement store for some wood dowel. 4 @ 1/2” x 48” popular. $9 with tax. Not my favorite wood but ok for the task. (Oak was available @ $3ea). I chose 1/2” as the drumsticks were 9/16”(.625) and a bit fat. Alto shank is around 16mm .632. So 1/2”- .500 / 12.7mm was a better size. Besides I have a nice drill bit for 1/2”.
Dugs wood score. 6”x48”, 9-1/2”x60” and 12”x72”. All 13/16” / 20.6mm thick.

A quick measure of the original design and I have a blueprint.

Time to do the math thing and choose the board size.
I’m off the clock and no power tools 🥃

 

[mark_addy]

Looks good - but what a lot of mouthpieces! I am hoping a skip local to me will be gone soon, as there are 2 French doors in it which could yield 4 off approx 3x2x72 hardwood lengths. I used to be a lot more pro-active about this kind of thing, but storage got pretty tight.

I wonder if you have to be a UK reader here to catch what this thing is I found recently in another skip, which is ideal for turning a Bb bari into a low-A (so long as the piece does not require a Bb as well...)? Flash photo is intentional, as a bit of a clue...

 

[PigSquealer]

Looks good - but what a lot of mouthpieces! I am hoping a skip local to me will be gone soon, as there are 2 French doors in it which could yield 4 off approx 3x2x72 hardwood lengths. I used to be a lot more pro-active about this kind of thing, but storage got pretty tight.

I wonder if you have to be a UK reader here to catch what this thing is I found recently in another skip, which is ideal for turning a Bb bari into a low-A (so long as the piece does not require a Bb as well...)? Flash photo is intentional, as a bit of a clue...
View attachment 36854

Looks like a lamp ?

There’s one local on offer for $500 asking.

 

[PigSquealer]

MPC stand size layout sorted. I’m going with the 9-1/2 stock cut to 13” long.
Mark center @ 6-1/2 on 13 and 4-3/4 on 9-1/2. Set compass @ 1-3/4” and mark up. Each stand will hold 35.

Yes I have many power tools. Today I’m using pork power and 38 year old saw.
Note the marks on middle & left line. Cut on line & cut to right of line. The saw cuts out a width of 1/8”. My layout from start was adjusted for this. Also pictured is the 1/2” spade bit for drilling the holes.

 

[PigSquealer]

Setting and testing the depth of hole and a light press fit. I wanted the tip of bit going through just enough for a 6d nail to pass. Not drop through but not beyond hand use. Bore depth is 1/2”. The amount the dowels will be into the board is two thirds.

70 holes and no mess. I mounted a small shop-vac adjacent to the cutting bit.

 

[PigSquealer]

Time to cut 70 dowels.
The math 48” dowel. Cut 2” parts. 24 per stick each. Nope. More like 23. Remember there’s a 1/16” loss with each cut. Think 23/16” or something like 1-5/8” of stick converted into sawdust.

A power miter box or chop saw the perfect weapon for the task. I’m too lazy to dig mine out. Jigsaw is handy and I have a decent saw blade on hand. Mounting the saw upside down and the blade to table. I clamped on a guide fence at 2”. Found a square small scrap for pushing the work. This keeps the ends square.
Be very careful of your fingers !

Setup done it’s time to wash the paws.

Cut slow to prevent chatter or wood blowout. Not too slow to cause burning.
Cut & let drop into collection box.

Each 48” stick yielded 23-2” parts. Only needed one from fourth stick.

Time to do a little sanding.

 

[PigSquealer]

It took about 1:5 hours to sand off both ends of the 70 and stand surface. All done while watching university of YouTube.

Had a minor distraction show up and forgot to take pictures of the upholstery process.

I covered both stands with a polyester low velvet. Remnants of a previous project. @ $3 for 3’x4’.
Cut with nap the long way. Cut with 3” extra material on four sides. Mark location of wood with fabric crayon.
Using spray Weldwood contact cement from yard sale, $1 full can and dated 2001. Still had paper price label of $6.99. Pre test your adhesive choice. Not all work !
Lay the fabric on large cardboard backside up. Place a weight on two corners. Place covering enough area to pick up later without sticking to your fingers. Two very lite coats will do. Excess will soak the fabric and ruin the velvet !
Lay the coated fabric on a smooth flat surface. Blow to flatten.

Place a coffee can on middle of cardboard and set the wood on facing finish side up. Spray five sides (not the back) two lite coats. Don’t worry about the holes.
Lift off from non-sticky back. Hold over fabric to location marks and let go ! Turn over and smooth by hand.
Face down again, work to smooth the long edges first. Pull the excess to back and secure with 1/4” staples.
Tuck & trim the ends like a gift package. Pull to back and secure with staples.
Done reasonably well the back will be flat and not wobbly. It’s possible to make adjustments with a hot iron.

 

[PigSquealer]

Tool time ! From an old carriage bolt I machined a hot knife tip for soldering iron.

Now you’re seeing the reason for the small through hole in each bore. It’s a guide for cutting.

Let the tip get good and hot. Too cold and the edges will not be sharp. Still the dowel will install ok.

 

[PigSquealer]

Now is the time to upholster the bottom if desired. There’s no need to glue the dowels in. If you do plan on glue oozing out everywhere.

Should have made 3 🤦‍♂️

 

[Jeanette]

Great project, thanks for sharing 🙂

 

[mark_addy]

Flipping heck, you're productive.

What a shame about that Bundy. Over here, that might be worth turning back into a saxophone at that price. No, my low-A extender is the white retro-reflective sleeve from a red-and-white road cone (the base was broken off it, it really was in the skip, honest 🙂 ). The whole road cone turns out to be a low-G extender...I need to have a look through my big band parts and see if that could be deployed for comic effect at our gigs. The sleeve definitely can. And it's so shiney!

 

[PigSquealer]

Flipping heck, you're productive.

🤣 was a little over four hours total.

 

[PigSquealer]

What a shame about that Bundy. Over here, that might be worth turning back into a saxophone at that price.

Was one non- lamp project grade that sold local @ $200 last week. No case or crook.

No, my low-A extender is the white retro-reflective sleeve from a red-and-white road cone (the base was broken off it, it really was in the skip, honest 🙂 ). The whole road cone turns out to be a low-G extender...I need to have a look through my big band parts and see if that could be deployed for comic effect at our gigs. The sleeve definitely can. And it's so shiney!

All I can think of is “The Coneheads” movie😂
Do reflective cones play brighter than non-reflective?

 

[PigSquealer]

The two stands took just a bit over four hours start to finish.
I’m guessing around $50 USD in materials & supplies from new.
The hot knife is optional. Same with pillar / drill press use. There’s other ways, woods or finishes like paint or stain.
For soprano use 3/8” dowel.

I’ve also known people to use these thread spool holders. From $11 / 20 capacity to £32 /120 capacity. Wall mount or table top stand.

£8 /25 capacity

Milward Thread Stand - 25 Spool Holder

Milward Thread Stand, (small) holds 25 Spools. Made from beautiful Beech wood and can be Free-Standing or Wall-Mounted. Size 14.5 x 15.5 x 18cm

www.minionsofcraft.co.uk

 

[Jeanette]

The two stands took just a bit over four hours start to finish.
I’m guessing around $50 USD in materials & supplies from new.
The hot knife is optional. Same with pillar / drill press use. There’s other ways, woods or finishes like paint or stain.
For soprano use 3/8” dowel.

I’ve also known people to use these thread spool holders. From $11 / 20 capacity to £32 /120 capacity. Wall mount or table top stand.

View attachment 36901
View attachment 36903
£8 /25 capacity

Milward Thread Stand - 25 Spool Holder

Milward Thread Stand, (small) holds 25 Spools. Made from beautiful Beech wood and can be Free-Standing or Wall-Mounted. Size 14.5 x 15.5 x 18cm

www.minionsofcraft.co.uk

Love those

 

[PigSquealer]

Happy two for Tuesday.

 

[mark_addy]

Missing bits (top E?), or...?

 

[PigSquealer]

Missing bits (top E?), or...?

I need the top pillar. Haven’t found one yet. All the other bits are there but need mending.

 

[mark_addy]

I guess you have one to use as a pattern...got a form-tool for turning little balls? (Here's me talking - down looking after Dad, gas bits all arrived, still haven't lit it and seen what happens!).

 

[Tuppertn]

I’ve also known people to use these thread spool holders. From $11 / 20 capacity to £32 /120 capacity. Wall mount or table top stand.

That's me. I glue a piece of nerf dart over the little dowel to take up the space.