OBOE
There is nothing more pathetic than a neglected school owned oboe. This Selmer wood oboe was in rough shape when it came in this morning. After pulling it apart, cleaning it out, replacing several (probably original) pads and key corks, it was assembled and adjusted. Then I commenced to play all the major scales on it. It has been since college that I put that much time into playing an oboe, I had forgotten the relative awkwardness of its’ key systems. So I repaired it, then it defeated me. Tie game.
Pictured above the oboe is a Votaw pad cup heater. Essentially a glorified soldering tool, it makes adjusting all those little tiny pads much easier than using a torch.
Inhorn Band Instrument Repair 
I tried using the Votaw pad cut contraption while overhauling a clarinet. It reminded me a lot of the first time I tried to use a torch to adjust a pad. I just couldn’t find the sweet spot and kept melting the pads right out of the cups. I gave up after a while and went back to the torch, even if it was illegal to use in my apartment at the time. I’m sure it would be an improvement over the torch if I had only had the time to play with it for a while before I needed to get the job done.
Thanks to my old friend Grant for making the first non-spam comment to my site. Have been waiting for proof that that the 1200+ hits since starting this were not all spambots….. I really enjoy my pad cup heater for 3 reasons.
1. Purchased through the Holze bankruptcy auction. So every time I use it i feel like I am sticking it back to the bankrupt owner.
2. Paid very little for it.
3. With a bit of use, It is a wonderful tool. The sweet spot is there, just like with your torch. It just takes some getting used to. I do not use it all the time, but in many instances on many instruments, it is the perfect tool.
That poor oboe :(. My teacher gave me a loaner (mine badly needed repair. I got it cheap from a woman who never played anymore. A Lorelei oboe, beautiful. But needed repair) which was in horrid condition. It was worse than my current one. It’s keys were sticky (and I’ve never experienced that before. So when they acted like it was no big deal, I was very confused), it wouldn’t play lower than 1st space F, and eventually wouldn’t play at all.
She seemed shocked and immediately let me borrow a newer, shinier one :3.
Hope the new shiny one worked out for you! Oboes are delicate instruments, one piece of the puzzle out of alignment and the whole thing gets wonky.