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I bought some new water key corks (the rubber ones) for my Willson F. What type of adhesive am I supposed to use to attach them to the water keys?

Thanks!

Super Glue works for natural cork; it SHOULD work for rubber, too. Just make sure that it dries before water gets on it.

CJH

You can use a lacquer stick, melted in the water key cup (use an alcohol lamp) and press the corks in to the water key cup. You can also use contact cement (read their directions). Be careful with this, though, since once you touch the two surfaces together, that is where it will be, until you rip it apart.

As I was diplomatically corrected a couple of years ago when in an even less enlightened state than I am now, please do not use super glue. No repairman wants to breathe the cyanide gas or have the resulting fumes permanently disable lung aveoli from having to use heat do dissolve it.

Sounds like contact cement is my best bet. Thanks to everyone for the info.

Ideally, if you get the exact size roll for the water key, you shouldn't need glue at all. Makes it a lot easier to replace.

Indeed. Come to think of it, the last times I had water key corks replaced, I don't believe my tech used any adhesive at all, just a slightly oversized diameter cork that pressure fit into the key.

iiipopes wrote:Indeed. Come to think of it, the last times I had water key corks replaced, I don't believe my tech used any adhesive at all, just a slightly oversized diameter cork that pressure fit into the key.

Me personally, I don't like that. I know from personal experience that cork will expand and contract, and if it contracts, the cork could fall out. Why not take the 5 seconds to throw a bit of contact cement in there, or use peel and stick neoprene synthetic corks, and not take that chance?

I'd always use caution as a tech to avoid potential problems down the road.

eupher61 wrote:Ideally, if you get the exact size roll for the water key, you shouldn't need glue at all. Makes it a lot easier to replace.

Correct, for many models. Some instruments have very shallow key cups, however, so they won't hold on that way. Contact cement is the way to go. And a strong "Amen" to avoiding superglue. Please.

J.c.S.

re: expansion and contraction of cork...If you're playing the horn regularly, the cork ain't gonna contract too much, it'll expand due to the moisture. If it contracts, you're not playin' enough.