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@peter and others. The desired format is SVG. It appears to be vector based, so it should be possible. I am going to try inkscape, which is open sourced. If that does not work, I will likely try an older version of adobe illustrator.
The machine strangely does not have any automatic control of knife cut depth, only downward pressure. The knife holder has 6 knotched depth positions, and different holders can be purchased with various lengths. I am likely to use at least two holders to achieve required depth without causing undo strain on the stepper motors. Fortunately, it is easy to program multiple cutter passes with great accuracy.
I was thinking last night of how it would be possible for the drawing talentless to achieve black paper child paper silhouette portraits by the use of this machine. All you would need is a digital camera and an illuminated backdrop.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
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QCAD - QCAD features will import DWG and DXF, and export to SVG if you purchase the E33 license.
Peter
"It is vain to do with more that which can be done with less" - William of Ockham
"A crown is merely a hat that lets the rain in" - Frederick the Great
Great work Irv. I have done some similar work on my wooden oboe, though when applying almond oil I used a pheasant feather, because that makes it so-so much better. ha.
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@mryikes and others. I used duck feathers for the bore because my next door neighbor has two to produce eggs. A pheasant tail feather is much longer. No big deal either way.
The classic method used to secure clarinet barrel cracks is to drill across the crack and screw in a section of 4-40 (English) threaded rod. The rod is scored before insertion and is repeatedly bent at the score until the metal work hardens and snaps off. A small amount of ebony mixed with instant glue is used to disguise the hole. I think that a similar method could be used for violin peg box and violin bow head repairs.
It took me months but I found a Vito alto saxophone at a great price. The package was stolen from my front steps. I reported the incident to the police and, to my surprise, they came a few weeks later with the unopened box. That is likely to be our next project (the boy also wants to play one of those). I think we can use the pvc foam to make those pads, too (as well as flute pads).
I am already assembling an assortment of dent tools to tackle brass repairs. Fascinating, but it never ends.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
My Vito alto sax is my best sounding alto (the others are a Bundy 2 and an Orpheum. I also have 2 Vito tenors that have great sound, but I broke the Bb key touch on one of them by trying to bend it too far (pot metal).
Get some alto plastic reeds from China for $3. They are easily worked, sound great and last forever, well at least longer than violin strings. I can't get the cheap China tenor plastic reeds to sound good. I have to buy the $30 Legere Signature or Classic to get a good tone though I prefer to play on a Fibracell reed.
I can get the cheap China cane reeds to play well on alto but because the plastic works so well, getting away from cane is a blessing. On tenor the cheap China cane never played well and I had to spend a lot of time working on the reeds, so the plastic became a very much appreciated time saver. I eventually threw away about 100 cane reeds because they were covered with mold. I could have cleaned them with peroxide but I am basically done with cane. Plastic rules. ha.
Be sure to pay attention to the height of the pads you are replacing on your instruments. It sounds like you are having fun.
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@mryikes . I was trying to get a “made in Japan” Vito (which are Yamaha stencils), but the one I got back from the police was R. O. C. It looks decent enough.
The ones I played back in the day were couesnon monopoles and SML, both made in France to complete with the Selmer Mark 7 (the couesnon was made across the same street). He is not getting those. I also have a Selmer Bundy Special alto made by Keilwerth (German). Strong like bull but not in same league.
I am making the pads out of azek extruded pvc trim boards, running them through a band saw for thickness. So I can duplicate the thickness of the original pad. Smooth side goes toward tone hole and the “rough” side gets the shellac. Totally water proof.
I have had to repair broken keys on a clarinet. I use 70% silver soldier pre mixed with flux that comes in a syringe. I does a beautiful job and is very strong. I use map gas cylinder and a standard propane torch.
I am also learning how to measure, repair, and reface mouthpieces. I use black acrylic monomer (used in fake finger nails) to repair tooth gouges and similar. It is fun to take a cecilio cheap mouthpiece and mimic something more useful.
I never tried a plastic reed. Is there a “name brand” you recommend?
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
Lade or Ammoon or any of the other cheapo reeds, I think are all the same thing. Some I don't have to work on at all, some need a little off the tip or vamp. They come in colors but I've found that when I have a black reed on a black mouthpiece, I can't tell it is there. For alto there is no need to get any that are pricey.
I think Yamaha is having the Vito line made in China. Either that or it is the Yangisawe (sorry I can't remember how to spell it)(The other top line sax maker). The sax you have is a good one.
I used silver solder when I spun the neck strap ring. It was almost worn through from using a metal snap. By spinning it around, it will last forever since I use a plastic connector.
I have pads from China that cost $10 for a set that I install with a shellac stick. They seem to work well. For a while it was fun doing that kind of work, but what it did was stop me from practicing.
The Chinese mouthpiece for alto was $3 and the tenors cost $5, some come with the ligature. I just use a Yamaha 5c, but have others to play around with.
A problem I have with the oboe is that the low B key doesn't have enough spring action to raise it and I have had trouble finding where the friction is. But since I don't play it often, I don't lose sleep over it.
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@mryikes . I can help you out regarding spring.
Take off key. If it uses a rod, clean rod with naphtha (lighter fluid) and clean tube with naphtha soaked pipe cleaner. Examine rod and tube to make sure straight. Lubricate with lucas or stp engine oil conditioner. Check alignment of posts and rotate with pliers as needed.
If it uses pivot screws, clean with naphtha and remove gunk from divots. Stuff divots with Teflon plumbing tape. Check alignment of posts and rotate with pliers as needed.
If all that does not work, add a little tension to spring by pulling on it (I have never needed to do that yet).
Check back on thread regarding use of pad leak tester. Cheap and easy to build and makes superior pad floating a snap.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
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An update on the use of a cricut to cut clarinet pads.
The blade (and holder) used in the cake cricut variant is a good deal longer than their other models, likely due to the ease of cutting through frosting. The machine is not likely strong enough for me to use it throughout the process of pad cutting.
My first passes will use a holder to a depth of about 0.8 mm. Then I will switch to a holder that allows a cut to 1.7 mm. The cake cutter will complete the cut of 3 mm. If that works, I will try two steps of 1.7 mm and 3 mm. I have no desire to go any further in that regard.
The blades are easily sharpened using a diamond “stone” while retained in the holder. Two passes per side was adequate. A leather finishing step would likely work. I will try a ceramic stone next, which I am sure would work as well.
After being assured by the software distributor that metric dimensioning was not possible, I found the feature through use.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
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An update. I ended up using the cake cutter blade throughout the process. It takes about twenty passes for the machine to complete the cut through 3 mm of pvc foam (at a material temperature of 70 f). I think this performance will materially improve by heating the foam to about 200 f with a hot air gun before I begin cutting. The circles are surprisingly good.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
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I recently obtained a Vito (which unfortunately was made in R.O.C., I was hoping it would be a Japan variant which would have been a Yamaha stencil) alto sax for the boy. It took me months to find one for less than $50. I gave it to him just before social distancing began. He immediately threw out the mouthpiece because it had tooth marks (which was unfortunate because I think we could have repaired it with black false fingernail monomer). I resorted to the mail service to send him a care package of mouth pieces, reeds, strap, and a cleaning silk.
To my amazement, he reportedly can play the thing with its existing crusty pads. Now he wants to provide it with a thorough cleaning and wanted a guidance video (he has never removed the keys of a saxophone, which needs to be done since the saxophone will be cleaned with hot water and detergent in a bath tub like a brass instrument). I find the YouTube videos provided by the Brass and Woodwind Shop to be uniformly informative and there was fortunately one on the subject. The kid is taking his first flight from the nest on this one.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
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