5J piston

[bloke]

There's one school in particular that seems to be pretty hard on their equipment.

' great band, but more care/attention needs to be focused on handling their instruments...

...but whatever (THIS IS NOT THE MAIN POINT).

A year or two ago, I brought a "high-shelf" Conn 5J back in to service for them, but replacing a missing #1 piston with a new one.

It came back this summer with some re-denting, a busted valve stem (different piston) etc.

MAIN POINT:

The new replacement piston already sports some minor plating failure.

[York-aholic]

Lack-o-oil

?

[bloke]

Lack-o-oil

?

I'm wondering if (as I'm wondering about the rough-surface King pistons - same company) they may possibly be pulling a (decades past) "Brazil"...whereas the pistons (base metal) just about "fit" (depending on definition of "fit") in the casings, and the nickel plating may (??) - these days - be little more than "appearance" plating.

I (we?) know good and well that (as much as we may not like the way they were designed, or how they played) those old (1960's, etc.) Conn-Elkhart "Director" small-bore trumpet pistons were probably played by children and rarely-if-ever oiled. So much of the piston body is (ie. epically thick) nickel plating, that I don't ever recall seeing one of those pistons whereby the plating has been worn down to the base metal.

bloke "in the first paragraph above, making a definite distinction between wondering and knowing"

[bloke]

' had to do a tall-cup-of-coffee/power-nap thing...

...now: back to see if I can get the last two tubas done for this school (some sort of shiny 105 clone, and old-style 2341 pliers-in-valve-casings victim #2...)

bloke "5J tubas are so very nonplussing"

UPDATE:

King 2341 pliers-in-the-valve-casings tuba #2 is now repaired.

I earned another coffee break...and maybe a little time playing my OWN tubas (plus a cheeseburger).