Setting A Key

The procedure outlined below is basically the same for every key on the saxophone. Some, of course, are much easier to do than others, but that's what makes life interesting!

First, take a good look a how the key functions on the instrument. Remember that diagnosis is half the battle, and that a good analysis of the current situation will enable you to do a great job of correcting any deficiencies. Does the key fit tightly between the posts and/or adjoining keys? Does it have any horizontal motion? Does it move absolutely smoothly on its rod or pivot screws? Is the action quiet, or does it rattle and click? Is the key cup centered over the tone hole? Is the key cup parallel with the other keys and with the body? Is the pearl worn down? Don't hesitate to make some notes. Feel free to download the instrument valuation worksheet, and use it for your inspection of the entire instrument.

Take the keys off the horn and closely examine the rods and pivot screws. The rods should be perfectly straight and absolutely smooth. If they're not, you must straighten the rod by inserting it in a bench motor with a hollow shaft and spinning it while working the kinks out with a hammer handle which has had an appropriate size hole drilled in it. If you haven't done this before, don't try it! It's tricky and VERY dangerous. The rod can easily whip around and cause serious injury! Check the threads on the rod, and the slot in the head. The threads may need to be dressed with the appropriate size die, and the slot may need re-cutting with a jewelers saw. If the threads cannot be dressed, the rod must be replaced. Polish the rod after straightening with 1500 grit emery paper. All nicks and scratches have to go! Check the ends of the pivot screws for straightness. If they're bent, the screw MUST be replaced. Install the rods and make sure that the posts are all properly aligned, adjusting as necessary with round nosed pliers.

Now, heat the cup and remove the old pad. Take note of the impression that the tone hole left on the old pad. That's invaluable information! Is the impression centered? Was the resonator properly sized, or was there room to increase the amount of resonating surface? If the impression is not centered on the old pad, then we know that the key was not centered over the tone hole. You can move it up and down by grasping the rib on the key cup with some duckbill pliers and moving the key in the appropriate direction. If the impression is too far to the front or back, then the posts supporting the key (and possibly the entire stack) must be adjusted. This is tricky, and best not attempted by course repeaters or second year students. I use a special tool, but you can get some acceptable results with a set of round nosed pliers. Be careful not to pull the post off the horn! Remember that if you adjust one post in a stack, you'll most likely have to adjust each and every one in that stack. More about that later.

Clean out the key cup. Clean it well. Clean it again! After I scrape out the old shellac, I go over the interior with a Dremelâ mounted wire brush. Make sure that the rim of the key cup is perfectly round. If it's not, I use various sized expanders to bring it into symmetry, but you can do the same job with round nosed pliers. Now take the cup and place it on your jeweler's anvil and be certain that it's absolutely flat. If it's not, place the cup on the jeweler's anvil and give it a couple of light taps on the rib and this should straighten it. If the cup has dents, you must get them out with dent tools just like you would do on the body. I'll cover dent removal in a future article.

Examine the ends of the key tube. They should be smooth and straight. They're not, are they? You'll need to smooth them and square them up with a fine needle file. If you leave a rough surface where two keys touch, or where the key touches the post, the horn will never feel right. Now check the key tubes for straightness. If they're not, you're in a world of trouble! I first straighten them by bending them with my hands, and then use a series of broaches (a smooth tool made of very hard steel which is approximately the same diameter as the hinge tube) to persuade them to straighten up. Finally, I dress the interior of every key with a hinge tube file. The inner surfaces often have little dings, which can really slow down the action. The file must be used in great moderation: if too much material is removed, the key will fit poorly on the rod.

Now we're ready to size the pad. The pad must, must, must fit tightly in the cup. Don't leave any space between the cup and edge of the pad. After you've got the proper size pad selected, take it out of the cup and place it on your jeweler's anvil. The leather must be ironed! Ironing tightens the leather and smoothes the grain. I use a pad slick, which is a smooth piece of brass about three inches long, by an inch and a half wide, heated on my bench burner. You've got to get the slick hot enough to do the job, but not too hot so that it burns the leather. Ironing is one of the tricks to a great job. It adds that highly desirable percussion quality to the sound of a key closing, and helps the pad retain a consistent seat for its life. Once the pad has been ironed, you can apply any treatment you think appropriate to preserve and waterproof the leather. I've tried a lot of different products with various results, but I like a spray called Super Tac, which I get from a leather wholesaler. After the treatment has dried, I apply Charlie A's gig dust to avoid sticking.

The installation of the resonator will be covered in detail in a future article, but at this point select the type resonator you're using and be sure that you have matched the resonator being installed to the tone hole impression that was on the old pad.

Before you install the pads, you must check the action of the keywork on the rods and screws and take any corrective action necessary. First, spin the keys on their rods and make sure they move very freely. If not, go back and straighten as needed. Now, assemble the horn and note any excess between keys and/of posts. If there is any play, the key must be swedged. This is a process in which the ends of the key are extruded to tighten up the spaces caused by wear. I use swedging pliers rather than those other fancy gizmos, and have always gotten good results. Be sure to swedge 360 degrees around the tube, remember that if two keys are touching, a little swedging on both is far more desirable that a lot of swedging on just one. The process thins the ends of the tubes, and they will wear quicker if over swedged. It is absolutely mandatory that the swedging be done with the keys on the horn and the rods in place! If you try to swedge without the rod inserted, you will invariably collapse the tube. Take care not to over-swedge, as this will cause the keys to bind. I've found that a little lithium grease applied to my swedging pliers makes the job easier. If you leave marks on the key, you'll have to polish them out with jeweler's rouge.

Of course, you can't swedge keys that use pivot screws on the ends. You'll have to countersink the heads of the screws so they go a little further into the post to take up excess play. In extreme cases, you can always move the post a little, but this requires soldering skills. NEVER tap the posts in to tighten them up. This causes the ends of the screws to touch the keys at an angle. I've seen this done many times by knuckleheads, and I just don't understand it!

I then heat the cups and paint the interior, and particularly the rims, with a thin coating of stick shellac. I press the pads into place, and having completed the installation of corks and bumpers covered in a previous article, I'm ready to put the horn together and begin de-leaking and regulation, which will be covered in future articles.

Your mechanism should be in top condition now, and the "new horn feel" should return. Let me know your questions!

Thank you,

Steve Goodson