Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO]Plastics2) anyone familiar with machining saxophone MP bores?

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

Matt:- The material is clear. As the thing is a bit experimental yet, I am
using a length of 2" diameter Perspex rod I found while I was still at work.
I think it came off a display stand and so I would guess its probably
extruded (assuming this is the cheapest type).

Tim:- I am trying with this Perspex as I think this is what the commercial
moutpieces use. In the past I have tried other plastics such as nylon and
PolyPenco and I have found that they react adversely with my skin and
quickly produce a rash. So far the mothpiece I have made hasn't had this
effect in a couple of weeks regular playing. The mouthpiece is turned from
one solid piece of 2" diameter rod with a 5/16" hole through it. For about
half its length (which is about 3"), this hole is tapered out to just under
15/16" while the outside tapers from about 5/8" to 17/32" to make it a push
fit into the instrument. The rest of the length flares out to around 1 3/4"
and has a deep cup shaped depression about 1" maximum diameter into which I
blow. The stress cracking is concentrated in a band about 3/16" wide in the
5/16" bore where it meets this cup (the junction is smoothly rounded so its
not an edge cracking phenomenon)

Murray:- Saxaphone mouthpieces have a tapering hole in them, widest where
the mouthpiece fits onto the instrument. I made one for my daughter out of
white PolyPenco (nylon) - step drilled it and made a short D-bit to form a
smooth taper as far as possible along the reed bed, then cut away the reed
bed at the appropriate angle and finished the bore with hand tools from this
side. She was absolutely delighted with it as she thought it made her look
like a jazz player (just needed to work on getting the notes in the wrong
place so she'd sound like one)! The shape of the bore is really governed by
the outside shape and is of less importance than the correctly curving shape
of the reed bed.

Thanks,

Ian
--
Ian W. Wright
Sheffield UK
www.iw63.freeserve.co.uk

----- Original Message -----
From: "Multi-Volti Devices (Murray)" <multi-volti@...>
To: <CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: 13 January 2002 04:54
Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] 1) acrylic 2) anyone familiar with machining
saxophone MP bores?
>
> While on the topic of machining musical instrument mouthpieces, anyone
know
> anything about characteristics of the bore on saxophone mouthpieces?
>