Hello all,

Let me start out by thanking you fellas for all of your help.  I've
only been refacing for a couple months, but I do it every day for
several hours and my skills have increased greatly.  I've gone through
a lot of plastic blanks in the process, but I've now done 4 alto mp's
in a row that I matched perfectly to plans for them.  So, I feel that
I need to continue moving forward and I've got a few questions.

1.)The Baffle!  I've read that the baffle is only about a half inch
long.  Is this always true?  It seems to me that the baffle length
would somehow correlate to the length of the facing and actual size of
the piece.  Are there general guidelines for this?

2.)What are some good methods for finishing a mp?  By this I mean
thinning of the side and tip rails.  I have simply been filing them
down with my needle files then smoothing with fine sand paper.

3.)How do you thin rails from the inside?  Do you go all the way to
the floor when it's done?

Thanks in advance for any help, guys.  I really appreciated this
site/forum and everyones helpful advice.  I never would have attempted
any mouthpiece work had it not existed.

Thanks again,

Josh

> 1.)The Baffle!  I've read that the baffle is only about a half inch
> long.  Is this always true?  It seems to me that the baffle length
> would somehow correlate to the length of the facing and actual size of
> the piece.  Are there general guidelines for this?

I think all will agree that the first 1/2" near the tip rail is the most
important part of the baffle.  But there will not be agreement where the
baffle region stops.  I consider it to extend to the base of the window
"U".  Some use "middle baffle" or "roof" to describe the extended regions. 
Theo's site has some good baffle pics and definitions.  But there are many
variations of the 4 basic baffles he describes.

> 
> 2.)What are some good methods for finishing a mp?  By this I mean
> thinning of the side and tip rails.  I have simply been filing them
> down with my needle files then smoothing with fine sand paper.

That is a good method.

> 
> 3.)How do you thin rails from the inside?  Do you go all the way to
> the floor when it's done?

I would not recommend that unless you also want a larger chamber volume.  I
go about 1/3 or 1/2 way down and angle the inside wall if it is straight. 
Liknks and Meyers have curved inner sidewalls so they can be done straight.





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