Weird water collecting

[DonO.]

I was at one of our local TubaChristmas events today and I noticed a weird problem with my little 3/4 Kanstul, which I bought specifically for things like this. After playing for a while I heard the dreaded gurgling and the playing got wonky. I figured out water was collecting either in or around the 2nd valve area. So no amount of playing with the two water keys (MTS and 3rd valve slide) made any difference. We were pack ed on stage like sardines in a can. So I couldn’t spin the horn. I finally had to pull the second valve slide and turn it upside down, at which time water came pouring out in copious amounts. The second valve slide is in a difficult place, in between the much longer 1st and 3rd slides and in a tight place. Messing with it caused me to miss half of one of the songs. Not that anyone noticed! Any ideas on how to deal with this issue would be appreciated.

[bloke]

Front-action piston upper #1 and #2 slides/loops typically do not drain back into the main bugle, but (sadly) drain into those pistons' "circuit-feed" ports - rather than into the "on to the bugle" ports.
I put water keys on those upper bows, tilt the instrument to my left, open those water keys, and drain them.
Additionally, I use traditional lever-style water keys, to make certain that the water will actually drain, and drain quickly.
Since TubaChristmas (particularly, if outdoors) is in December, we (not the *"royal we", but y'all) should expect more and more-places-of water collection.

caveat:
Since Kanstul valve blocks are often repurposed top-action valve blocks, I may (??) be offering incorrect information, here.

--------------------------------------------------------
*I won't be going, because they decided to do it here: (Not only that, but parking is in a dark parking garage, with the free parking in the darkest most remote parts of the garage.)
https://www.actionnews5.com/story/38124 ... concourse/

[arpthark]

Could you get your repairman to install a water key on that slide?

[DonO.]

Could you get your repairman to install a water key on that slide?

If you search for “Kanstul 904-3B” online, you can still see a picture of one. The first second and third valve slides all face up (a secondary 3rd valve slide and MTS face down) and the short 2nd slide is sandwiched between the much longer 1 and 3 in a hard to access spot. So any water key would be as difficult to access as the slide is. And I’m not sure exactly where a traditional water key could be located on that slide with the pull ring soldered right on the top center.

[Grumpikins]

Try turning the horn on its side with the mp where you can blow. Press the valve and blow hard. Hopefully in this position you can push the water through to where it can be emptied. That's my only thought to remedy without fully rotating or modifying the horn.

Sent from my SM-S367VL using Tapatalk

[arpthark]

Is there room on the 2nd valve elbow?

Not finding any good pics of that angle online, but if this is accurate:



Then the elbow of the second slide (represented by the red line) could fit a water key approx. where the red arrow is pointing. Or would that be too hard to reach?

I put water keys on the 3rd and 4th valve slide elbows of my Eastman for a similar problem. I found I don't even really need the 4th valve one, but it does help.

[DonO.]

Is there room on the 2nd valve elbow?

Not finding any good pics of that angle online, but if this is accurate:



Then the elbow of the second slide (represented by the red line) could fit a water key approx. where the red arrow is pointing. Or would that be too hard to reach?

I put water keys on the 3rd and 4th valve slide elbows of my Eastman for a similar problem. I found I don't even really need the 4th valve one, but it does help.

Yes that is a fairly accurate representation of the horn. The braces in the picture looks little different from mine, but the valve cluster and slide locations are accurate. I will take a look and see how much clearance there is on that elbow. At this point I might say “maybe…we’ll see”. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Dents Be Gone!]

I agree, guys. This is the way to go.

[DonO.]

Is there room on the 2nd valve elbow?

Not finding any good pics of that angle online, but if this is accurate:



Then the elbow of the second slide (represented by the red line) could fit a water key approx. where the red arrow is pointing. Or would that be too hard to reach?

I put water keys on the 3rd and 4th valve slide elbows of my Eastman for a similar problem. I found I don't even really need the 4th valve one, but it does help.

Yes that is a fairly accurate representation of the horn. The braces in the picture looks little different from mine, but the valve cluster and slide locations are accurate. I will take a look and see how much clearance there is on that elbow. At this point I might say “maybe…we’ll see”. Thanks for the suggestion!

Would the water key be installed on the top or bottom elbow? I can’t tell from the picture. Or does it make a difference? It looks like the bottom elbow has more room.