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 !

 

[Tuppertn]

That's a lot of work to revive an old beater that was bound for the dump. I appreciated all the effort giving great grandpa the royal treatment.

I wonder if the persnickity fussiness was one reason these were only made for a couple of years.🤔

 

[PigSquealer]

That's a lot of work to revive an old beater that was bound for the dump. I appreciated all the effort giving great grandpa the royal treatment.

Thank you. It was all worthwhile.

I wonder if the persnickity fussiness was one reason these were only made for a couple of years.🤔

I was thinking the same about this. Without a decent sampling by other techs and players. This remains an unknown.

 

[PigSquealer]

Received a parts update from the JK ToneKing tenor today.
All new cloth guards on the way from Germany. Will be nice to see what shows up.

 

[PigSquealer]

So “The Martin” Magna tenor begins. I took a few days to review between other work. Notes and pictures taken.
The power of observation and going Sloth slow.

At first everyone most likely noticed the pads. One is too thick and sloshed with glue. Household white glue to be exact. Ok, we see the indexing marks. Signs of level of workmanship. Likely installed while key was on the sax. No big deal. But did anyone notice all the dents ?
Yeah the inside of the body tube looks like a golf ball. At least it’s not bent !

So far only one loose / leaking chimney. The high E.

The pillar is pushed in too.

Other entertainment includes various pads.

The Bis key pad had no glue holding it in place. Nevermind that the pad was to thick.

 

[PigSquealer]

When I see pad work like above I go slow. Looking for what else may be off.

Bent key arm. Shim under A touch.

Lower stack, F# is odd looking. Did a beaver install D ? BTW these pads are all new 🤦‍♂️.

Not to many things wrong with F# pad install. It’s only upside down, too thick, has shim added, didn’t stick in cup and can’t be reused. That’s household white glue on it.

Martins usually require a pad thickness of 4mm/.160 or less. So this below describes “too thick”.

If your side C pad keeps falling off. Just add some donkey spit.

Yes, I do believe this pad was floating 😵‍💫

 

[PigSquealer]

If your booster on D is hitting the socket. Just buy a pad without one. Too loose ? No problem ! Just bend the cup.

It gets really interesting lifting the pad out.
There’s no glue. All but a few lifted out without any heat. Still there’s goo in the cups to clean.
Six different pad makers. Most likely all installed by same person. They did give it a good try. I can only imagine the frustration and disappointment that followed. Fear of heat, lack of tools, supplies, or parts ? University of YTube ?

Let’s review some of the pads.

This group shows both thick and thin. The rivets have been worked differently. The lower row palm key rivets have been hammered flat. That’s not going to help a pad that’s already 1mm+ too thick.
The action (keywork) closes like people walk. Hinge/ Heel to toe. When a pad is thick the heel contacts way too early. The toe never touches the socket. Shims were added to toe for correction. I hope no key arms are bent😢.
Excessive shims may work to get pad fit, but it will kill you in regulation stage.

Top center above measurement.

The next in line is the regulation compensating pad attempts from others being to thick. This is done when the person sees no space between, body to key foot, key foot to backbar. This is where they look because the key is completely closed !
How about grinding off all the back leather. Then remove half the cardboard. Never mind the glue. Don’t need it for a closed key.

Somewhere over the last 1200+ posts I showed how to make shims if needed. Think I’ve shimmed five pads in 9 years. Materials matter. You want hard, heat resistant and without any coatings. Like scotch tape. Both removed from cups without heat. Tissue on right didn’t tear apart.

 

[PigSquealer]

See anything in common with this group ?

I’ve never seen a backbar regulated to body before 🤔. Black arts master work.

Deli cold cut sandwiches on the Café countertop ? Doesn’t look like regulation I want to eat.

@Stephen Howard not sure what the cork underneath springs is for ? Quieter action, tension adjustment or screws are too long ?

If your key barrel is bent there’s a WHY adjustment. This is not it.

 

[PigSquealer]

The spring shortening award goes to….

If you can’t make up your mind to use JB Weld or Epoxy….use both !

Don’t worry about pulling the dent out first. The next tech will do it

Same goes for reattaching the thumb hook block.

For dessert today, we have assorted regulation materials with different toppings.
Left to right.
Cardboard with white glue.
Pressed hobby cork board with white glue.
Original opera cake cork with shellac.
Midlife cork with SG glaze
Midlife cork with SG base and scotch tape icing
Leather shingles with UFO drizzle.
Red felt with bathroom sink caulking or contact cement glaze.
Sorry DoorDash is not available.

 

[etc-etc]

For dessert today, we have a sorted regulation materials with different toppings
Left to right.
Cardboard with white glue.
Pressed hobby cork board with white glue.
Original opera cake cork with shellac.
Midlife cork with SG glaze
Midlife cork with SG base and scotch tape icing
Leather shingles with UFO drizzle.
Red felt with bathroom sink caulking or contact cement glaze.
Sorry DoorDash is not available.
View attachment 38701

This is better than a Michelin review!