Instrument Repair Hospital: Cleaning and Storage

Posted September 5, 2012byLissa Ray

In this episode of Instrument Repair Hospital, “Dr. Lissa” gives tips on how to clean and store your Orff instruments for the summer. Take good care of your Studio 49 Orff Instruments for their long lasting health and great sound!

Materials:
– Gloves
– Old English scratch cover
– Furniture polish
– Goo Gone
– Thin gold metallic pen
– Rags
– Towels
– Bungee cords

Lissa Ray

Lissa taught general music in a suburb of Cincinnati. Lissa currently teaches Pre-K - 6 in at a Montessori school in Northern Kentucky. She is President of the Board of Directors of the Cincinnati Children's Choir and has served on the American Orff-Schulwerk National Board of Trustees. Lissa presents Orff-Schulwerk workshops and classes for teachers and children.

See all posts by Lissa Ray

11 Comments

Matthew Jenkins on November 6, 2017 at 4:34 pm

My Studio 49 glockenspiels have developed a bit of corrosion on the bars. How do I safely remove this before applying bore oil?

Reply
- Lissa Ray on November 22, 2017 at 8:48 am
  
  Hi Matt,
  
  You can remove the rust from glockenspiel bars with Naval jelly. You’ll find it at the hardware store. Follow the directions on the bottle. Wear gloves, it’s caustic.
  
  Sadly, once the bars have rusted the finish will never be quite the same. There currently is no way to restore the perfect shine of a new glockenspiel once rust has begun. You can prevent further damage by applying bore oil to the bars once the rust is removed. Use bore oil that is used for cleaning guns- not the type for clarinets. The sound will still be sparkling.
  Let us know how this turns out
  
  “Dr.” Lissa
  
  Reply
  - Susan on May 14, 2021 at 5:01 pm
    
    Hi Lissa,
    I just wanted to get clarification on the bore oil for maintaining glockenspiel bars.
    In the above comment, you suggest using the kind of bore oil used to clean guns, but in the video posted for cleaning the glockenspiel, you used a Yamaha bore oil, which you said you could buy at a music store. I just wanted to make sure I buy the correct thing for my precious glockenspiels, which need some TLC! 🙂 Thanks!!!
    
    Reply
    - Teaching With Orff on May 17, 2021 at 6:26 pm
      
      Hi Susan,
      Great question! Since filming her glockenspiel repair video nearly 10 years ago our dear “Dr.” Lissa has learned even more about instrument repair. When using bore oil on your glockenspiel bars, the type used for cleaning guns is recommended. And her new preferred product to shine and protect the bars is Turtle Wax Chrome Polish. Always learning! https://teachingwithorff.com/instrument-repair-hospital-glockenspiels/
      
      Reply
Adrianna Eason on May 9, 2018 at 1:45 pm

Thanks for the great information! I’ve put all of this to use at the end of the year with my rosewood bars. I have a few instruments that have fiberglass composite bars. What is the best and safest way to clean those?

Reply
- Lissa Ray on May 14, 2018 at 1:57 pm
  
  Greetings,
  I have not cleaned fiberglass bars but I believe if you wipe them down with mild soap and water and the completely dry them they should be fine.
  Good for you for keeping your instruments in good shape!
  “Dr.” Lissa
  
  Reply
Angie Tester on May 30, 2018 at 1:39 pm

Hi there!
Do you wrap your bars in towels over the summer also? Then take them out in the fall and put on the inst.?
Thanks,
Angie

Reply
MIcaela Schmitz on June 8, 2021 at 3:15 pm

If you clean with turtle wax, do you do that before applying bore oil, or does that take the place of the bore oil?

Reply
- Lissa Ray on July 29, 2021 at 8:47 pm
  
  Hi Michaela,
  The bore oil should not be used at all. We haven’t had a chance to edit that video. Using Turtle Wax Chrome Polish will clean and protect your glockenspiel bars. In case of rust, clean them first with naval jelly. Follow the instructions on the bottle. You can find it at a hardware store. Wear protective gloves-it’s very caustic.
  I hope this helps!
  Lissa Ray
  
  Reply
Kellie on February 1, 2022 at 8:21 pm

Hello. I have a question for Dr. Lissa.
I have moved to a new school and I have an alto xylophone which has a pin broken off the low C. I thought I could just replace the pin, but upon further inspection, the wood inside the case has also broken away. I suspect the incident that broke the pin also broke the piece out of the case. The missing piece of the case is long gone. How would I ever go about fixing this?
Thanks,
Kellie

Reply
- Teaching With Orff on February 7, 2022 at 9:33 am
  
  Since the piece of wood is missing you’ll have to fill that space in order to replace the nail. You could use wood filler or Bondo. Bondo might be the better choice – it’s what they use to repair car bodies. You can purchase it at an auto parts store or in the automotive department of a big box store.
  
  You’ll need a small piece of plastic to place along to gap where the wood is missing. Use duck tape to secure it along the inside of the resonator box. Fill the gap and clamp it tightly while it dries. Follow the mixing and application instructions on the Bondo can or the wood filler container- whichever you decide to use. Don’t rush the drying process. (Caution – Bondo sets up very quickly).
  
  Then remove the tape and piece of plastics a replace the nail. If the new surface is rough you could sand it a bit.
  
  Let me know if you have questions. Good luck! I hope this helps!
  
  “Dr.” Lissa
  
  Reply