Key Fabrication
super 20 left hand pinky table build out
Posted above is my latest attempt at building Ab and Db levers for a King Super 20 tenor saxophone. The mechanics of the left hand pinky table on a king saxophone work like no other – essentially backwards from the more standard version. I started this project months ago by getting my hands on a complete king, removing the keys and carefully taking pictures and measurements. The previous attempts at copying the original mechanisms have been colossal failures. When I obtained the soldering jig I began another attempt, but could not find any of the pictures nor measurements from the original keys.
Instead, I made the attempt from scratch. What you see above is an unfinished version of the key stack, rough and missing the Db table. The piece running parallel to the top of the picture is the bar that will attach the table to the hinge rod. Will need to replace the B roller.
So far, the primary change from King’s original configuration involves the return spring for the Ab lever. On the original design both the Ab and Db return springs were needle springs, and ran parallel to each other in close quarters. I removed the Ab spring, instead installing a flat spring in a different place. This freed up some space in the mechanism for the Db to work properly.
Components from raggedy old Conn and Yamaha cadavers have been used in this project.
I am not sure if this is the final build out or not, but I am positive that at long last this is a doable project.
Inhorn Band Instrument Repair 