Checking for a leak

There are multiple different ways to check for a leak. In this tutorial, I'll go through a couple of different ways. After following this tutorial, you might want to check out my other one on, "How to fix a leak".


Checking for a leak with a leak lamp


This is the most effective way to fin a leak. It's quick and accurate and how the professional sax repair guys do it. This may be a bit tricky, and you won't be able to do this on the fly like during a gig, but if you have some time to sit down and really take a look at your sax, this is it.

Required tools:

• A leak light (if not then a small flash light and some rope) 
• A dark closet
• Someone to help you, or be highly coordinated

If you don't already have a leak light, what you're going to have to do is somehow attach a string or a thin rope to flashlight. This is to be able to drop the flash light through your saxophone.

The idea of this is, when you're in your dark closet, if you close down the pads of your saxophone and drop the flash light through, ideally, you don't want to be able to see any light penetrating your saxophone pads. If there are, then you know you have a leak

1. If you have some help or have some clamps, hold down the low Bb on your saxophone.
2. Slowly drop the leak light/flash light through to check to see if there is any light 
3. If there is light coming out of there, check to see how much it's leaking by and also make sure to check the alternate fingerings. 

Checking for a leak with a paper

Checking for leaks using paper is a quick way to check for leaks on the fly. Say if you were in band or during a gig, your horn starts squeaking and you don't know why. You think you may have a leak but you can't tell for sure with just your eyes. 

Required tools:

• Every day sheet of paper (printer paper)

This method is pretty straight forward and you can imagine what you'll have to do.

1. Slide the paper underneath the key that you think might be leaking. 
2. Press down the key as if you were playing it.
3. Pick a direction and gently slide the paper underneath the key/pad in that direction. For example, say you have a key. Pick a direction for North and slide it underneath that direction.
4. Note the resistance. (If the pad slides out easily all together, you have a full leak where the pad isn't touching the saxophone at all.)
5. Repeat steps 3-4 but this time, slide it NE, E, SE, S, SW, W ,NW.
6. Is there a side that slides more easily than the others? If so, you may have a partial leak in that direction.