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$6000 Buffet Oboe,
Not Sealing
Not Sealing
On close examination we can see a rather nasty crack in the bottom socket area
Removing the keys and posts we can examine the extent of the damage
Making the decision to replace the whole socket area, I map out the tone holes and mounting posts on a copy jig
The tube becomes a master copy of the original oboe
We then remove the broken section
I physically cut the end of the Oboe off and graft a piece of turned wood into place. I do a long grain join - not an end grain, typically I part it off at a 30 degree angle
Sanded smooth we do a process called colour buffing
Colouring up just fine
The holes are all drilled back in original spots
We then mount the oboe back on the copy jig to reverse engineer the holes locations
With Taps the holes are rethreaded
Oboe Socket rebuild
Ignoring the profiling of the tone holes, I focus on fitting the Keys between the posts and slowly re-assembled back together
Top ring section refitted
Repeat for the trill keys on the opposite side of the graft
A cutter is manufactured in house to match the profile of the original Buffet tone hole
With all the keywork now refitted, its time to profile shape the tone holes, we line the drilled hole up with the guide section of the cutter
Face away, one newly created tone hole
Second tone hole face rough cut, we follow up dress the tone holes with a hand facing tool
Tool for dressing the tone holes
20 Degree dressed tone hole
Rear view of the repair
Keys refitted and pads sanded in
Finish assembled and Test played ready for collection
