Refacing kit reviews?

[Ptrick]

I see the refacing kits in WW&BW go for around $120-180 and was wondering if anyone here uses them or if they accumulated the necessary tools over the years...
I am leaning towards the Morgan as I love his pieces and would think he is the man for this.
Thanks!

[tophatsax]

Ptrick,

I just bought my own refacing tools, rather than the kit. JJ Babbitt sells the glass gauge and a couple of tip wands (but digital calipers will work). I bought a digital caliper and feler gauges (get 2 sets) from Harbour Freight Tools, and the Eric Brand Manual from Ferree's. My local glass shop sold me a 6x9 3/8 inch glass plate for $7. If you need phone numbers of the above, let me know.

tophatsax

[Johannes Gerber]

I don't recommend a refacing kit. Simply, because back then when I got into this, JVW advised me NOT to get a kit, unless you have too much money.

For the same amount of a kit - $180 for the Winslow I think, you can buy a lot of tools you will need - much more than in the kit. The kit have a dial guage, that is handy, but not a must.

The Glass Guage at Babbitt is $20-00 and you can buy high quality diamond files in various shapes, etc. and still end up far from $180-00

Good hunting!

[Paul Coats]

I purchased the Madison Enterprises (John Winslow) kit, and like it. I added only a few tools a few tools to it:

(1) smaller files for baffle work

(2) a baffle polishing tool Santy Runyon showed me how to make

Start with a 3/8" diameter wood dowel, about 6" long. On one end, cut the wood so that it has a flat spot about 1" long and 3/8" wide. Yes, this splits it on the end in half. On top of this flat spot, glue a piece of 1/16" thick cork. On top of the cork, glue a piece of chamois.

This tool, along with polishing compound, is used to poolish the baffle after first filing, then sanding to shape.

Another tip, to put a final polish on the table and facing, many use chamois and compound. But try this...

Turn a sheet of silicon carbide cutting paper backside up on your glass work surface. There is enough silicon carbide dust on it to allow a nice mirror polish to the table and facing with just a few strokes.

[SuiZen]

I purchased the Madison Enterprises (John Winslow) kit, and like it. I added only a few tools a few tools to it:

Where can this kit be purchased? Also, does Babbitt still sell the glass gauge? I don't see it on their web site.

Bill

[Bootman]

Paul,
What is this compund for polishing? Is it like red roouge or a rouge you can obtain from a jewelry suppliers?

[Paul Coats]

Bootman: For plastic and hard rubber I use a product available at automotive stores by Kit. Kit makes car wax and other cleaning, beauty products for your car. The exact product I use is called Kit Scratch Out. It is a polish for plastics sold for removing fine scratches from motorcycle faceshields and windshields, plexiglass windshields, etc. It comes in a yellow plastic bottle.

There are other similar products for polishing plexiglass by other companies, and I am sure they will all work as well.

I bought my Winslow kit directly from John Winslow. It is available from Woodwind & Brasswind and other sources.

Yes, you could probably assemble a kit of tools for less money. I point out that the Winslow kit also has three new mouthpieces, clarinet, alto, and tenor sax. They are student pieces made for general band playing, and play pretty well. His point is that these play well as they are. He wants you to play them, learn how they respond, their capabilities and limitations. The start experimenting with altering the facing, the baffle. And test play. Only in this way can you learn what effect each change has on the tone and playing characteristics of the mouthpiece. So, this is more than just a kit of tools.

He supplies a special fixture and dial indicator for measuring tip opening and can also be used to measure thickness of reeds at various points. This is a very good device, and part of the reason for the expense of the kit. It also comes with various grades of silicon carbide paper. I added no more than $15 worth of other tools, a file card and several small files.