The best valve oil is free and comes in the cases of rental returns. These cases are also a solid source for free rolled up beginning band methods as well as random brushes, snakes, and unused slide grease.

OT: This reminds me of seeing the tuba god Tom Lyckberg come in to the USMB band hall after a 3-week vacation, reach into his locker and beat the paddles of his Rudi to free up the glazed rotors, grab the horn, sit down right as the oboe was giving the tuning note for a rehearsal, play his Bb, then ...

I would have loved to have one of those MW travel tubas back when they came out. When I was on a tour bus for 7 straight weeks I would have to carry a SLP or later a Firebird in a bag on a bus. It sat in the seat with bungee cords securing it, leaving me very little space. I had to do this if I was ...

Affirmative.

I used a C4 on F tuba since I got my first F in 1991. It seemed to me that the C4 was a F tuba mouthpiece, so I went with it. Then in 1993 while in grad school I lost it. Worst feeling ever. Found your C4 at the lost and found at the Frontier Restaurant. They might still have it. That’s great Rob. ...

I used a C4 on F tuba since I got my first F in 1991. It seemed to me that the C4 was a F tuba mouthpiece, so I went with it. Then in 1993 while in grad school I lost it. Worst feeling ever. When I called WWBW or Tuba Exchange (don't remember which) to order a new C4 they sent me a TU23. I never ...

This is a new term to me. Is there a definition or do I have to be from Texas to understand?

To me a Texas flush happens around 24 hours after eating brisket off an offset smoker.

Yes I work for a school district, so there is no chance of a private shop picking up stuff. It is free for the programs. Having a garage-like storage thing seems nice for sure, and to be able to stockpile stuff would be a very nice luxury. If I had a large storage area like that it would be put to ...

I am curious about how much storage space techs have at their disposal for summer repairs. Also, how many schools are you housing at one time? Due to a lack of storage space, I have a “stay in Mexico” policy. I will not pick up at a school until I can actually do the work. Usually, during the summer ...

If they are the paper thin ones that they have been making for a good while, that really shouldn't be too bad of a job. Yeah, not too bad but time consuming. I already have 150 instruments in the repair queue and we have not hit May yet. Sousa bow jobs clog up the works worse (at least for me) than ...

I got the request of death in my in box today: 3 Conn (20K) sousaphones - “body dents” I know these instruments. Massive bow jobs. I did one a month back, now they want all its 3 sisters the same way. This is going to suck. And the summer crap is starting. I really wish they would have put these in t ...

...had to work on another ol' beater ybb-321 today... :smilie4: Nothing more depressing. My least favorite sight is an old, fine thread, long 3rd slide tubing, broken brace flange, frozen up, lime coated 321 POS. My gem today was a new-ish little Jupiter tuba with the removable mouthpipe/valve set ...

In this thread, one post doesn't necessarily need to follow another, so I'm going to change the topic to valve stems for school tubas and marching instruments. I'm really tired of the top mounted valve guides that are held in by super small threaded brass valve stems in a stupid little washer. I'm ...

I played that model in college. I dug it out of an instrument storage room and kept it for 5 years while everyone else played the new sousaphones (new at the time). I loved that horn so much I was prepared to take it as my own graduation present. The girlfriend at the time talked me out of it. I ...

I will check on the model number of these King french horns. I think I have seen them maybe marked "Bach". Maybe?

This school district has 100's of these along with 100's of 6D's. Very few Yamaha horns.

Uplifting news: Today a did a drop off / pick up at the premier HS band program in town. They have 3 MW 25’s that are about 12-15 years old. Each is in great shape. Just this small observation put me in a good mood all day. Picking up the marching baritone later on at another HS that was smashed, ...

""""""but taxpayers could save a LOT of money were it not for quotes, pre-hyperinflation invoicing limits, b.s. payment delays, and requiring the repair services to double as delivery services when every school system has their OWN people (with system-owned trucks of various sizes) who transport ...

I simply toss the fingerbutton and pearl on the woodwind guy’s bench and he shellacs.

Maximum use of available resources.

[/quote]Cyanoacrylate. Super glue, preferably not the grocery store stuff. [/quote] I will give that a try on the small curved plastic on the elbow by the bell tenon. This might be the precaution I have been dreaming about. I use contact cement to re-stick the molding. It works well, but the added ...

What is CA? Contact adhesive?