I'm an engineer (of sorts) and interested in the process of making 
mouthpieces from start to finish.  Common sense and a bit of 
research can get me some way, but I'd like to tap into the group's 
experience.  I'm not going to set up a business or anything, but I 
might, some day, get around to making a mouthpiece for myself.

I've read Sax Journal articles by Ralph Morgan and website info. by 
Phil Barone and some others.

As far as I can tell, you start either with bar stock (brass, 
stainless, ebonite, whatever) or with a rough blank that has been 
cast or moulded (UK spelling) to shape.

What stages in what order would you do then ?  Maybe something like:
1. Drill/ream bore on lathe
2. Turn outside of barrel
3. Machine body profile (how ?)
4. Machine table
5. Machine biteplate depression
6. Machine window
7. Machine chamber, rails, sidewalls, baffle (how - which direction 
to access from ?)
8. Machine facing curve
9. Sand & polish outside
10. Hand finish chamber, rails, baffle
11. Engrave markings
12. Plate finish (for some metal pieces)
13. Make, fit & finish biteplate

I'm sure I must have missed some vital processes or got things out 
of order, so what's right ?  Are there any good books, articles, 
websites that show everything in order ?  Maybe the world of CAD/CAM 
has changed how some of these things can be done.

Thanks in advance

Rhys

UK

Take a look at the Babbitt site and Vandoren site.  I think both have some
photos of some of their process steps.

For machining, the most difficult area is the throat/chamber at the base of
the window "U".  You can look at SR Techs, Guardala Laser Cuts, and Lakey
metals to see example of elaborate CNC work.

You can also out-source the machining with drawings or 3D CAD files.  I
have worked with eMachinShop.com, but they are a little shell-shocked now. 
They have refused to accept some jobs.  A thin table material thickness at
the base of the window "U" is a problem for them.  Any section that is less
than 1mm thick concerns them.  If their fixturing is off, they can break
though or have deformations in the thin areas.

I have also dabbled in submitting 3D files to QuickParts.  They can machine
anything but you need to get ~30 blanks to get the cost around $100 each. 
Two blanks may cost $400 each.

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I am not making sax pieces from start to finish but I am doing that with clarinet mouthpieces.
   
  Here is the rough outline of my process:
   
  1.  Make rubber rods
  2.  cut the rubber into smaller billets
  3.  Turn them on the lathe (including making the bore)
  4.  Mill work comes next (chamber, beak, table, facing)
  5.  Logos applied by laser.
  6.  Cork the tenon.
  7.  Hand finishing to possibly include (if necessary) facing, chamber work.
  8.  Buff.
   
  Each mouthpiece is an individual and play testing is included during the hand work phases.
   
   
  

rhysonsax <rhysonsax@...> wrote:
          I'm an engineer (of sorts) and interested in the process of making 
mouthpieces from start to finish. Common sense and a bit of 
research can get me some way, but I'd like to tap into the group's 
experience. I'm not going to set up a business or anything, but I 
might, some day, get around to making a mouthpiece for myself.

I've read Sax Journal articles by Ralph Morgan and website info. by 
Phil Barone and some others.

As far as I can tell, you start either with bar stock (brass, 
stainless, ebonite, whatever) or with a rough blank that has been 
cast or moulded (UK spelling) to shape.

What stages in what order would you do then ? Maybe something like:
1. Drill/ream bore on lathe
2. Turn outside of barrel
3. Machine body profile (how ?)
4. Machine table
5. Machine biteplate depression
6. Machine window
7. Machine chamber, rails, sidewalls, baffle (how - which direction 
to access from ?)
8. Machine facing curve
9. Sand & polish outside
10. Hand finish chamber, rails, baffle
11. Engrave markings
12. Plate finish (for some metal pieces)
13. Make, fit & finish biteplate

I'm sure I must have missed some vital processes or got things out 
of order, so what's right ? Are there any good books, articles, 
websites that show everything in order ? Maybe the world of CAD/CAM 
has changed how some of these things can be done.

Thanks in advance

Rhys

UK



         

 		
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