Unusual / Rare Instruments

[stiofan]

But I'm a luthier! No, Klaus, for the last time, you're a carpenter.

enter the Flagiola, Austrian nail violin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0w4EVpNliA

[Peter Duggan]

Because it's hypothetical, this doesn't really qualify (as if that would stop me):

It didn't with the tuba!

[Nanohedron]

Because it's hypothetical, this doesn't really qualify (as if that would stop me):

It didn't with the tuba!

No, that's different: I honestly thought the 53-key tuba was real. Seriously. I had no reason not to, for such is the ignorance of the layman.

The Catatonium, OTOH, is far and away a much more obvious farce; anyone - even I - can see that. So ... meow.

[chas]

Because it's hypothetical, this doesn't really qualify (as if that would stop me):

It didn't with the tuba!

You mean the serpent?

[trill]

kkrell,

Here's another approach (with plugs). I imagine builders have different techniques (plugs, cross-bore connections, trenched end caps) to achieve good tuning & acceptable finger reach. https://www.willandbeki.org/construction.html . . . .

Thanks for the willandbeki link ! Very nice article. Shows lots of interior detail. Very impressive design + workmanship ! Instrument makers really are craftsmen !

trill

[Nanohedron]

kkrell,

Here's another approach (with plugs). I imagine builders have different techniques (plugs, cross-bore connections, trenched end caps) to achieve good tuning & acceptable finger reach. https://www.willandbeki.org/construction.html . . . .

Thanks for the willandbeki link ! Very nice article. Shows lots of interior detail. Very impressive design + workmanship ! Instrument makers really are craftsmen !

trill

From the article:

This [rackett body] is about to be immersed in varnish for 3 days to preserve and seal the wood against moisture, which builds up in the narrow convoluted bores. There is an amusing much-quoted story by Hawkins from the 18th century about the destructive effect of water build-up in racketts.

Bolds mine. I always wondered about moisture buildup in racketts, so the varnish soak goes some way in demonstrating that there are issues. How does one dry out a rackett after playing? As to the bolded part, I tried a search for the quote in question, but no luck. One concludes that if the story is indeed much-quoted, it would only be among the circle of rackett makers, and probably over a beer.

[trill]

. . . How does one dry out a rackett after playing? . . .

I propose design changes: 1) Removable end-caps for all the internal switchback bores. 2) The caps could be sealed either with cork or o-rings. 3) The acoustic path could then be made by milling/cutting/printing passages between neighboring bores.

My guess is that trial-and-error would be needed to design the "passages" between neighboring bores.

3D printing makes all of the above design iterations much lower man-hour tasks (at the cost, of course, of lots of printing).

So, with the above: play the racket, disassemble, and dry it out, re-assemble, store. Rinse. Repeat.

trill

ps: alternatively, remove the reed and simply hook up a warm-air source to the blow-tube. I picture a hair-dryer on low. Let it run for, say, an hour. I shudder to think of the possible mold or bacteria growth in the confined bores. Honestly, I'd be really curious what the "traditional" protocols were for using+storing a rackett, back when they were first made.

[kkrell]

. . . How does one dry out a rackett after playing? . . .

I propose design changes: 1) Removable end-caps for all the internal switchback bores. 2) The caps could be sealed either with cork or o-rings. 3) The acoustic path could then be made by milling/cutting/printing passages between neighboring bores.

My guess is that trial-and-error would be needed to design the "passages" between neighboring bores.

3D printing makes all of the above design iterations much lower man-hour tasks (at the cost, of course, of lots of printing).

So, with the above: play the racket, disassemble, and dry it out, re-assemble, store. Rinse. Repeat.

trill

ps: alternatively, remove the reed and simply hook up a warm-air source to the blow-tube. I picture a hair-dryer on low. Let it run for, say, an hour. I shudder to think of the possible mold or bacteria growth in the confined bores. Honestly, I'd be really curious what the "traditional" protocols were for using+storing a rackett, back when they were first made.

In the case of a 3D-printed rackett (along the lines of the link I already provided), I think that the cross-channels can be incorporated into removable caps. So, pull off both end caps (sealed with O-rings for leakage), shake out & air-dry the bore (and/or rinse), then re-assemble.

For wooden bores, perhaps either directing ozone through them, or some type of CPAP cleaning system.

[trill]

. . . For wooden bores, perhaps either directing ozone through them, or some type of CPAP cleaning system.

Why ozone ? So as not to provide O2 for organic processes ?

[kkrell]

. . . For wooden bores, perhaps either directing ozone through them, or some type of CPAP cleaning system.

Why ozone ? So as not to provide O2 for organic processes ?

"Ozone disinfection

Disinfection capacity of ozone

The free oxygen atoms or radicals are highly reactive and they will oxidize almost anything (including viruses, bacteria, organic and inorganic compounds) in contacts, making ozone an enormously powerful disinfectant and oxidizer."

"Why does it work? Ozone (so-called trioxygen) is a blue gas, with a density greater than air, making it an ideal disinfectant for both air and water. It kills single and multicellular organisms with low cell specialization, i.e. bacteria, viruses (including COVID-19) or mushrooms (fungi)."

[david_h]

Just beat me to it. To add - it breaks down to oxygen, so no nasty waste products (except maybe dead germs)

Can't they just blow air from the room through the rackett until it has dried out? Hook up the fireplace bellows.

[an seanduine]

I wouldn´t use ozone on any fine wooden objects. It has been researched as a reagent to aid liquefaction of wood.

Bob

[Nanohedron]

I wouldn´t use ozone on any fine wooden objects. It has been researched as a reagent to aid liquefaction of wood.

Bob

I strongly suspect there's a school of opinion that holds that a puddle, where once was a rackett, is never a bad thing.

[Sedi]

Somebody had already developed a 3D-printed rackett and wanted to sell them through facebook, which I no longer use, so I don't know what became of the project. I'd be interested in getting one.
https://youtu.be/MYpDOp0VL1M

[Nanohedron]

I don't know what the heck this is - can't find any information on it - but it has six strings, so I'll go out on a limb and guess it's a sort of ... guitar?