Clarinets

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Heat cracks

The type of crack that is definitely preventable is the heat cracks. Physically they are very similar to dry cracks but the source of the heat is predictable and avoidable.

When the instrument is heated up either by the sun, like laying inside a car in the summer, or near a heating system, like a radiator or oven, the wood will dry out and shrink. At the same time the mechanism will expand. These two contrary forces will get the wood to crack. The typical places are all metal to wood connections like near the posts, register, octave and thumb holes.

Whenever the humidity changes so will the wood. Higher humidity makes the wood swell and expand, drier conditions make it shrink.

Don't get the instrument pinned under any circumstances!!! (Read also: {Link_A_509_Crack pinning )


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