New ebonite rod supplier

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:25 pm

http://xoomer.virgilio.it/geroncat/eban ... 0rods.html

This was just posted on ASP.

achduliebe · Post by **achduliebe** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:34 pm

Ben,

Very cool, thanks for the link!

ScoJo · Post by **ScoJo** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 4:00 pm

Anyone know the density of ebonite, or the sulphur content of the German rods? It looks to me like the sulphur content of this is pretty high, but I have nothing to compare it to.

JHowell · Post by **JHowell** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:21 pm

ScoJo wrote:Anyone know the density of ebonite, or the sulphur content of the German rods? It looks to me like the sulphur content of this is pretty high, but I have nothing to compare it to.

The addition of sulphur (and heat) is necessary to make rubber stop flowing; the process is called vulcanization. I can't remember all that much about it, but the sulphur is there for a reason, and is why you can smell sulphur when you cut the rubber. No reason to be concerned about the sulphur, but there's a lot on that data sheet that I don't know anything about. The key is how the stuff performs. How does it cut, how does it polish, how does it resist oxidation? That can only be seen by working with samples. Looking forward to it, personally.

StephenDownie · Post by **StephenDownie** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 2:52 am

Thanks for the link, looks like some interesting rod there.

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:35 am

StephenDownie wrote:Thanks for the link, looks like some interesting rod there.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I wrote them an email about samples but haven't heard back yet...

ScoJo · Post by **ScoJo** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 12:14 pm

JHowell wrote:
ScoJo wrote:Anyone know the density of ebonite, or the sulphur content of the German rods? It looks to me like the sulphur content of this is pretty high, but I have nothing to compare it to.
The addition of sulphur (and heat) is necessary to make rubber stop flowing; the process is called vulcanization. I can't remember all that much about it, but the sulphur is there for a reason, and is why you can smell sulphur when you cut the rubber. No reason to be concerned about the sulphur, but there's a lot on that data sheet that I don't know anything about. The key is how the stuff performs. How does it cut, how does it polish, how does it resist oxidation? That can only be seen by working with samples. Looking forward to it, personally.

I am familiar with vulcanization and what it entails, I was just questioning the level of sulphur used. I seem to recall reading somewhere that that could be an indicator of quality. Since reading this post I have gone looking a little more into the process, and it seems that for hard rubbers, 30-50% sulphur is not unusual, making this particular material quite lean in sulphur if I am reding it right.

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 1:17 pm

Has anyone had any luck contacting this place? I never did hear anything back from them...

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 1:45 pm

Apparently they take the whole month of August off. I sent an inquiry, and was told they'd get back to me in September.

achduliebe · Post by **achduliebe** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 2:23 pm

Working in an international data center, I have noticed a lot of countries have extended amounts of time off for this reason or that. Hmm...that would be nice...I want to go on 'Holiday' for 3 weeks straight! Oh yeah...'Holiday' seems to be the universal code word for it.

Ok...so much for the rambling. I have also sent them an inquiry but have yet to hear back from them. I guess I might hear something in September.

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 10:23 pm

On their page it said something about not even having the rods available until October. I just want to know prices and minimum orders, etc...

Please post if you hear anything! I'd love to put that first rod on their page to some good use! I like the look of it a lot.

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 10:26 pm

On their page it said something about not even having the rods available until October. I just want to know prices and minimum orders, etc...

Please post if you hear anything! I'd love to put that first rod on their page to some good use! I like the look of it a lot.

EDIT

Hmm... I think if my porn filter reads that phrase above, it may block this website! HAHA...

achduliebe · Post by **achduliebe** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 8:05 am

Haa haa...Ben...you said ROD !!! Haa haa

JHowell · Post by **JHowell** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 2:19 pm

ScoJo wrote:
I am familiar with vulcanization and what it entails, I was just questioning the level of sulphur used. I seem to recall reading somewhere that that could be an indicator of quality. Since reading this post I have gone looking a little more into the process, and it seems that for hard rubbers, 30-50% sulphur is not unusual, making this particular material quite lean in sulphur if I am reding it right.

Didn't mean to be insulting -- if you thought it was high but had nothing to compare it to, that sounded like you wondered what it was doing there in the first place. It would take a real industry wonk to read the data sheet. My frame of reference is playing and working on clarinet mouthpieces, which are made from hard rubber. Most of the ones I play on are from 1960 or before, and the material has changed significantly over the years. In general, modern rubber seems less sulphurous, and has other ingredients that improve shock resistance, resistance to oxidation, and so on. I wouldn't be the slightest bit concerned about the level of any ingredient in the rubber, particularly without, say, a data sheet for the Hamburg stuff, before samples arrive. If the samples suck, on the other hand . . .

FWIW, the price I was quoted was 34 euros per kilo, with a price break at 200 kilos. I haven't figured out how much rod of what diameter is in a kilo yet . . . more info to be extrapolated from the samples, when and if they arrive.

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 4:22 pm

Jack, that's an interesting price. I might have to weigh a piece of rod when I get home to see how much a meter weighs.

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 5:50 pm

It's 34 euros/kilo and there's a minimum order of 10 pieces.

Assuming that they weigh about the same as cumberland and ebonite, it works out to just under $19.00 per rod plus freight for the 22mm stuff.

That's if I've done my math right.

That's a pretty good price.

I read somewhere that Trever Talbert said that the quality can be a little iffy with small inclusions of foreign matter, small bubbles, etc. but that he got some very interesting looking stems.

Here's a link to a pic:

http://www.talbertpipes.pair.com/briarcat-alc3.shtml

Rad

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 8:13 pm

So at $19/rod how many rods minimum order is it?

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 12:18 am

Hold on, Ben........... I've got to figure this out...........working.....

Just a minute............

OK, I've got it! 10 pieces.

Rad

[/quote]

JHowell · Post by **JHowell** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 3:24 am

RadDavis wrote:It's 34 euros/kilo and there's a minimum order of 10 pieces.

I read somewhere that Trever Talbert said that the quality can be a little iffy with small inclusions of foreign matter, small bubbles, etc. but that he got some very interesting looking stems.

Rad

Huh. Inclusions, bubbles, etc. are a deal-breaker for me. If I pay half as much for rod stock, but have to make two stems because of poor material, I've lost way more than the material cost. The Hamburg stuff can be iffy, too, but when it's good, it's good.

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 10:25 am

Maybe Trever will come on and tell us exactly what his experience is with it...?