Make a Clarinet Case
A good clarinet case is a must-have for the musician on the go, as it protects the disassembled pieces of the instrument while making them easily portable. If you managed to obtain your clarinet without a case, or if the old case has been broken or lost, you can build your own to provide your instrument with a safe haven. While there are a variety of ways to create a homemade case, one of the easiest and least expensive makes use of a children's modeling compound that can be sculpted like clay in a briefcase, but dries to a soft, sponge-like consistency.
Instructions
1. Disassemble the clarinet and cover the parts with plastic wrap. Use clear tape to secure the plastic, but don't let the tape touch the clarinet itself. Make sure all of the parts are totally covered in plastic, but try to avoid adding too much bulk to them.
2. Fill the bottom half of the hard-shell case with the modeling compound. Press it into the case so that it fills out all the corners and crevices. Use enough compound to fill the case and leave a flat, level surface at the top.
3. Gently insert the wrapped clarinet parts into the wet compound. Press them into the compound until they're submerged halfway, creating an impression in the dough. Wiggle each piece back and forth slightly, making the cavity slightly larger than the piece of the instrument. This will help compensate for any shrinkage that occurs while the compound dries.
4. Remove the clarinet parts. Pull each clarinet piece straight out, taking care to disturb the shape of the impression as little as possible. Let the modeling compound dry.
5. Glue the dried modeling compound in place. Gently tug the hardened piece out of the case and apply lines of hot glue beneath it. Replace the dried piece of compound.
6. Place the wrapped clarinet pieces in the case and form the top layer of the case. Fill the top of the case with compound, then gently close the lid to press the wet compound over the top of the case to make the upper impressions.
7. Let the top layer dry and glue it in place as you did with the bottom layer of compound.
Tags: modeling compound, case with, Clarinet Case, clarinet parts, compound Press
