Rod/linkage end play.

[ken]

Griff,

An update.... Spoke with the makers and there are a selection of nylon washers on the way. I'm told that the pivot screws they use have enough shank to allow for this. Once the parts arrive I will attack the lower screw again in an attempt to make sure it is not just the washer that is taking up the play.

Ken.

 

[griff136]

lets hope that the nylon washers do the trick.

keep us posted on your progress.

Griff

www.dg-music.co.uk

 

[Bobby G]

Hi Ken (Rod), did those nylon washers do the trick?

 

[ken]

At 1:28:19 PM 27/06/06, Bob Green wrote:
Hi Ken (Rod), did those nylon washers do the trick?

Hi'ya Bob,

Well, urm........... NO 🙁 :cry: 🙁

Griff hit the nail right on the head with previous comments in thiis thread.

Shimming out the rod would (I guess) work "IF" there was enough adjusting screw movement to enable the screw to contact the pivot point inside the rod, then I would see the shims (nylon washers) as being more of a 'gap filler' to keep dust etc out (it's only a very small gap), I could happily live with that.

However, the bottom adjusting screw for this rod is located right in the curve of the bell. This screw 'seems' to be protruding further than the others and I think there is probably enough adjustment left on it to allow adjustment and for the rod to pivot properly on the points. BUT, I have a horrible feeling that it is cross-threaded and all my attempts to (safely) move it have failed.

In all honesty, I'm not sure what to do about it now. Eventually, I can see how abnormal wear or grooves might develop inside the rod. The real answer, from an engineering point of view, is as Griff earlier said, a longer rod.

I wish there was a local sax tech in my area, but haven't tracked one down yet.

Ken.

 

[griff136]

Ken you should be able to get to that pivot screw by doing the following:

remove the key guard on the low C

remove the low C key un-hitch the spring first.

place a cloth on the bow so as not to scratch the instrument.

use a long bladed screwdriver that is a good fit to the screw

 

[ken]

Hi Griff,

Actually, this adjusting screw/pivot post is practically dead centre in alignment with the body, if anything it is marginally easier to reach from the left (non tone hole) side of the instrument, so I don't really gain anything by removing the low C guard/cup etc.

Being that it is 'so' central and so close to the bend, I can't 'confidently' get any screwdriver on it... the angle is too acute to safely turn the screw without risk of damaging the screw head slot.

I've tried the butter knife to no avail, even ground a flat onto the short side of an allen key and tried using that as a right angled screwdriver... nothing seems to budge this screw, that is why I think it has been cross-threaded in the post.

I've toyed with the idea of applying a little heat to the expand the post thread, but come to the conclusion that I'm not brave enough... even with my mini soldering torch.

I'm stumped with this one at the moment.

 

[griff136]

Hmmmmmm..............................

how about using one of those driver bits that fit into a drill, you know the small bosch type bits with the hex body?, you may be able to fit the bit into a small socket connected to a ratchet handle.

 

[ken]

Griff,

I know it sounds as though I'm dismissing the suggestions, I'm not, but I've tried that as well.

I've tried straight screwdrivers, the ground allen key mentioned earlier, a butter knife, flexi-shaft screwdrivers, screwdrivers in sockets with ratchet attached and even one of those (Bosch) screwdriver bits with a ring spanner on the hex. Most things just won't 'get in there', anything that gets close starts slipping out of the screw slot (it really is that tight!!!).

 

[Bobby G]

Like you say, Ken, sounds as if you have a cross-threaded screw there. Just a thought; if it's where I *think* it is... just from left-field here... and I've never examined a Hanson... but... does the bell come off? If so, that would make it easier to get to....?

Is it affecting the horn's playability?

 

[griff136]

Bob removing the bell is an option aand may be the only one if the screw cant be removed in situ.

I have not seen a Hanson close up but i should imagine that the bell is epoxy glued at the body bow joint under the screw brace.

If this is the case it should be fairly straight forward to remove, but not a job that most sax players would care to undertake.

If Ken wants to have a go at this I will gladly run through the method I use to do this.

 

[ken]

Bob, Griff,

Not that I would attempt it, but I had a look to see if the bell is detatchable and I can't make my mind up.

There are two bands around the Hanson, one on the bell side of the bend and one on the body side of the bend. So how would a normal bell detatch, would it come away as just the bell or the bell plus the bend?.

No, on second thoughts, don't even tell me... just in case I find myself with a screwdriver and crowbar in hand one evening.

Bob, no it doesn't (at this stage) affect playing. My concern is that it will eventually wear elongated slots in the rod ends because of the pivot points not being in contact!.