I teach recorder to my fourth graders. I have gone through many processes as far as instruments are concerned - requiring them to be brought as a grade, having the school purchase as a "consumable" etc. etc. But I've comfortably settled into the idea that each student should have the opportunity to purchase their own and then provide "loaners" for the rest who don't buy or forget. So, in the fall right after school starts, I search for the most affordable deals I can find on decent instruments, throw a letter out to parents, and then collect the money to make the purchase. Through the years I've gotten pretty good at guessing how many will want to buy their own, so rather than waiting to collect, I just order them before the first week of school.
Once the "shine" wears off, you know what it's like - the kids NEVER bring them. What to do? "Practice fingering on your pencil..." No. That goes against my grain. I want every student PLAYING...so...in the event they didn't buy their own or forgot, I always have loaners to let them use during their class. No penalty, just get one and let's move on. I actually have enough to provide one for everyone should the entire class forget (and yes, as wonderful as I am, this has happened...I certainly don't want to provide the illusion that my teaching is perfect and my students are always so motivated 100% of the time that they'll be making a "Music of the Heart-2" based on my life). I have sterilization of these instruments down to a science...but I digress...
The Problem
These loaners were extremely inexpensive one-piece recorders; however, I did not wish to spend my valuable (and shrinking) budget dollars on buying a class set of recorders, so I came up with this solution.
In the home improvement world, there is a product called "Plasti Dip." http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/Plasti_Dip I remembered hearing about it 100 years ago during an in-service about nutrition (yes, nutrition...don't ask). Counter to what the name may suggest, it actually creates a rubber (not plastic) coating. My local Lowe's sells this stuff. It comes in a variety of colors, but Lowe's only carries black - which worked just fine for me since my class set of recorders are black with ivory mouthpieces.
Before you get started, like with anything else, READ THE DIRECTIONS. The fumes from this stuff are particularly noxious. I did the initial work in my kitchen - shouldn't have done that - the house smelled all night! Find a nice, wind-free, outdoor area or a garage with the door open.
The Process
Shake the heck out of the can before you pop the top (I forgot to do this and was initially freaked out that the stuff was not adhering). Dip the mouthpiece slowly into the Plasti Dip and then slowly out, give it a couple gentle shakes to remove excess drippage, then stand your instruments up in a drinking glass to dry.
Once you've dipped them all, let them dry at least four hours (recommendation on the can). I will tell you, however, even after four hours, the part I'm about to address still yielded some wet stuff. I already know what some of you are thinking, "Oh that toxic smell is so horrible for the innocent children!" Not to worry - after it dries all the way, the smell completely goes away.
Now...the mouthpiece opening is coated with a nice new rubber top - OOPS! Just take a small craft knife and cut out the covered hole.
If during your process, you got some Plasti Dip down into the mouthpiece or some ran in there - DO NOT PANIC. This happened to me (only 'cuz I was in my usual hurry to get 'er done). Easy fix. A long straight pin (or "hat pin" as they were once called...I yanked this one off a dried boutonniere I had handy). Oh, and blog readers - respect! Do you know how difficult it is to spell boutonniere?
You may be able to see in this picture...the pin is long enough to reach through the opening in the fipple. Stick it in there and wiggle it around a bit. You'll be able to make the recorder function.
That's it! All repaired. Now I can start the school year without hearing "Mine's all bitten! I want a different one!" Supposedly, again according to the can (and website), this rubber coating "protects against abrasion." I'm willing to bet my fourth graders can give them a run for their money. We'll see. At any rate - the total cost of this project was $7.45. I'll take it. AND...I only used about a quarter of the can. That sure beats $66.00 plus shipping (the cost of 24 new Canto one-piece recorders).
Since I have 3/4 of a can of Plasti Dip left, I'm off to see what else around my house needs a black rubber coating...see you next week...
I have had a few inquiries regarding the safety of putting the dried Plasti-Dip in your mouth. Once the Plasti-Dip dries, it is simply rubber. The warnings on the can are all for the wet substance with no warnings given about the dried rubber. Since it is shown on the can as being used for dipping tool handles, one can assume that contact with the skin (lips) is generally safe. As for rubber in the mouth, orthodontics have used rubber bands for years, tooth guards for woodwind players are made of rubber, and clarinet and saxophone mouthpieces are made of vulcanized rubber. Given all this and my research on Google regarding "safety of rubber in the mouth" - it appears that having this dried product contact the lips is generally considered safe. In my own mind, it has to be AT LEAST as safe as the plastic they are ingesting when they chew on the mouthpieces of the recorders. To my knowledge, it contains no latex.
ReplyDeleteThis provided by a reader from the Plasti-Dip website: "Plasti Dip® does not contain any heavy metals, and when completely dry, is considered harmless. However, it is not recommended that it be used on items that may be chewed or inserted into the mouth as it may present a choking hazard."
ReplyDeleteThat's a really good idea. I am a teacher too and getting funding for parents who do not want to buy their own is so hard. I usually go pick at the school lost and found to gather more of these recorders for my class. But needless to say, they are not enough and the kids pretty much chew on them the minute they get them.
ReplyDeleteAll of my loaners (which have only gone through 1-ish plus school year) are all very chewed up by these nervous kids so I am really keen to see how has the rubber stood up after you had finished the project? do you have photos of how it looks like now? I am also wondering if they can be used for the other end as well. Somehow, despite nagging, some nervous kids waiting in line to play for concerts must have chewed on them too!
Choking hazard true but I think they chew pen caps too and those are equally dangerous.... and they shouldn't be chewing MY recorders anyway.....
So far, so good (no teeth marks)! The only criticism I can put out on this project so far is on the air hole. When I cut the air holes out with the craft knife and cleared them with the hat pin, it left an ever-so-slight rough edge around the air hole. So what have they done? You guessed it...they bit it...and stripped the rubber off from the small area around the hole. This has only happened to two or three of them, the rest still look great - but it still gets me that they're that hungry that they are eating my recorders! LOL
ReplyDeleteI tried with 5 recorders and its been only a week..... and all the rubber has peeled away. Was something that you did that made it withstand the chewing?
ReplyDeleteI am wondering if they picked and peeled it away or was it it because they really chewed hard and let their teeth kind of scrape down the rubber? I couldn't find which kid did it as I only spotted them towards the end when they made it back into the sterilising bin.... Am I destined to buy more new recorders? But all of my 5 test recorders have the rubber peeled away. Only one has kind of like been chewed and left dangling off the mouthpiece.
Does it matter what brand of recorder I am using? I am using Yamahas. Also does it matter how they are right now? There are LOTS of teethmarks on them right now and quite some serious tooth gorging on the plastic. Could that be a reason because after I dipped it in the solution, it wasn't exactly smooth and the teethmarks could still be faintly seen?
The kids I have are NASTY but I am not admitting defeat yet! Help! Any tips?
Also, do your recorders still look as nice as your pictures above like when you first made them? Are there teeth scrapes on the rubber?
Please see above comment for answer.
ReplyDeleteI have the exact same problem in my class! my kids chew on the spares and it is like that haven't eaten days. I am keen to see how they have held up over the years and if you have an update to your solution? I am thinking of doing multiple coats. will that work better? do you have photos of how they are now after weather a few years of kids?
ReplyDelete