.STL files: 3D printable bass clarinet in G
ATTENTION: This project is for experts only and requires expertise in both clarinet repair and 3D printing. Please do not purchase these files unless you are confident that you can both 3D print an instrument AND overhaul a complex instrument such as a bass clarinet. Also note that as of yet I have not been able to put together an instruction manual for this project, it is largely a DIY kit.
Note: You are only buying the .stl files needed to produce the instrument shown. Buying these files does not give you the right to transfer then or to sell the files or any finished instruments or use any dimensions therein. You may only use the files to produce instruments for your own personal use. If you would like to manufacture and sell your own instruments based on these designs please reach out and we can set up an agreement.
Minimum build volume: 250mm (height) x 200mm x 200mm
Key work: Simplified Boehm System
Bore: 24mm
Range: Low E
Additional tools/supplies needed:
Contact cement
1/16” Neoprene foam sheet
2mm x 450mm stainless steel rod
0.38mm music wire (for making springs)
7/64” (2.8mm) rod (to use as a mandrel for making springs)
4.5mm OD x 18mm length x 0.4mm wire width pen springs
4mm OD x 15mm length x 0.5mm wire width pen springs
1/16”, 3/64” and 1/16” cork sheet
“Very thin laminated cork”
Felt sheet (for key corks)
0.003” and 0.015” sheet Teflon®
“Tech cork” (various thicknesses, mostly 0.5)
Cyanoacrylate (medium and thin)
25mm OD x 24mm ID brass or carbon fiber tubing (for the neck tenons)
7mm OD x 6mm ID brass tube (18mm section for the lower register vent)
5/32” OD brass tubing (13mm section for upper register vent)
Finishing nails (used to secure the body sections together)
Epoxy (to glue in the neck tenons)
Files
Drill with various bits
Long clamp (at least 18”)
Wire clippers (to cut down springs)
Lathe (not entirely necessary but it really helps to make the springs)
Bench grinder or file (to clean up and break the edges of the rods)
Hack saw or jeweler’s saw with fine blade
Hole cutters (10mm, 16mm, 19mm, 30mm at the very least)
Leak light
Sandpaper (various grits)
Razor blades
2x 27.5mm Music Medic® “Neo” pads
Rubberized CA glue
1x 30mm bass clarinet pad
Bass clarinet bell procured from China (found on eBay®)
0.8mm needle spring
Shellac or hot melt glue
Note that the tools and supplies needed may not be limited to this list
Critical dimensions:
Upper register vent: 13mm long, protruding 5mm from the neck body
Lower register vent: 18mm long, protruding 4mm from the body
Neck tenon 1: 30mm in length (45mm total), neck tenon 2: 21mm in length (36mm total)
Print settings:
Material: PLA+
Perimeters: 4 for body and neck, 6 for keys with a 0.5mm nozzle
Layer height: 0.16mm
Infill: 30%-50%
Support: everywhere
Minimum support area: 15mm^2
Minimum support angle: 87 degrees
Iron: enable
Assembly guides:
After printing, remove all supports and clean overhangs with a file. Roughen bottoms of joints with sandpaper on a flat surface.
Cut finishing nails to 20mm in length (removing the head and sharp end). Clean up pin holes on body joints with a 2mm drill bit and lightly tap nails into pin holes. Use these to align joints. Connect joint sections with medium cyanoacrylate or slow cure epoxy and clamp to ensure there is no gap.
CRITICAL: all overhangs and the insides of tone holes must be sealed with thin CA glue. this is the most critical step in order to ensure a good seal.
Cut the tubing for the tenons. Roughen up 15mm of one end and glue into the neck pieces with slow cure epoxy (do not use the 5 min stuff!!!)
Cork the tenons. First neck tenon gets a 15mm strip of 1/32” cork, the second neck section gets 3/64” cork, middle tenon gets 1/32” and lower tenon gets 1/16”.
Cut the stainless rods to length. Notice how they fit into the posts, I like to leave at least 1mm on each end so you can push them out.
Use hole cutters to cut Neoprene pads and use contact cement to glue them to the underside of the keys. Note there are only 4 sizes needed. Note 2 keys require Neo pads and the bell key is a traditional pad.
Print the included tone hole tools and glue 320-600 grit sandpaper to the flat side. Use these to level the tone holes.
Take a spare 2mm stainless steel rod and cut the end with a saw, mount this in a drill. Use this as a reamer to ream the holes on the longer keys. for the smaller keys a 2mm drill bit works well.
To start assembling keys, you will need a variety of springs. I found that I had to both buy and make different strengths of springs and had to carefully cut them down to get the right tension. Buy more than you need, you will go through a ton! Remember that keys that are sprung closed need a good about of tension to prevent them opening up during playing. The Ab/Eb key especially has this problem.
To assemble the keys, place the spring in the hole on the body and push the key down over it until you can slide the rod in. If the key does not move freely you will need to file down the sides. The keys are intentionally on the tight side to ensure there is enough material to ensure a tight fit, plan on spending a decent amount of time filing.
Check with a leak light, the only way the pads can be adjusted is by removing more material from the tone hole. The Neoprene does have quite a bit of tolerance but the goal is zero light shining through with a nice light tough.
For the right hand stack and the LH1/thumb key mechanism you will need to make sure both pads close at the same time. For the upper mechanism I use thin PTFE and for the right hand stack I use tech cork glued to the underside of the key closing the C/G tone hole
I like to use felt or cork on the key corks normally under compression and foam on other keys corks like on the side Eb key and the Ab/Eb. Use Teflon® in areas where keys slide like on the left hand levers and the bell key arm. For the left hand levers I used some 1/8” cork with felt glued on top underneath to prevent them from going up too far.
Be patient, I found I was often going back correcting work, trying different springs and trying different thicknesses of cork in different places.
Lastly I found that often the instrument would play better after a few days of being broken in.