Non-fancy tools

[MiBrassFS]

I’ve been fiddling with this Willson non-comp euph. It belongs to a friend, but he wants to trade me for an another horn (trombone), so it may stay here for a while. The valve set (mostly just the 3rd and 4th slides) has been slightly pushed in so that it’s tough to pull the 4th slide. It lacks any bracing in at least one spot that would prevent this. Maybe to reduce weight? I don’t know.

Rather than unsoldering stuff, I used a couple of cheapo drum sticks to gently move things back where they belong. It’s one of those operations that can go badly. You kind of have to know when to say “when!” Worked out ok this time. Everything moves and the 4th slide can be pulled without a collision.

Just as a tip, always have the pistons or rotors in place when trying this. This prevents the casings from moving. Remember, know when to say “when!”

[bloke]

Good for you.

Not to try to send you to a psychiatrist, but I believe that my thought processes along these lines are similar to yours, as my first approach is always to strive to undo what's been done - rather than to start unsoldering a bunch of stuff, to follow some so-called "procedure", or feel obligated to buy this-or-that tool (whereby my intuition tells me that the tool - whereby it's one that I have gotten along without for 45 years - will probably end up just being an obstacle between my hands and the damaged area). Maybe that's why I don't like being labeled a so-called "tech", as I tend to think of a "tech" as being someone who takes things apart, discards damaged pieces, replaces them with new parts, and reassembles things.

What you've shown in your illustrations is not an uncommon occurrence with those, once they've hit the floor. It's pretty much the reason why I discourage schools from purchasing full size top-action tubas, unless they are built like tanks (such as are vintage Besson instruments). I'm sure your experiences are the same as mine, whereby front/side-action tubas which hit the floor tend to suffer damage to large body bows, yet the slide tubing alignment and valve casings tend to suffer less harm.

I've sold those particular Willson instruments used and - in the distant past - a handful of them new. Indeed, the bracing is quite light, and they seem to attempt to "compensate" without using the Blaikley system, as the second and fourth circuits are quite long. I recall them first appearing shortly after the Yamaha 321 instruments hit the market. I suspect (??) that the ideas about the circuit lengths were an attempt to do a "one-up" up on Yamaha. ...They have a fan base.

[arpthark]

Maybe that's why I don't like being labeled a so-called "tech", as I tend to think of a "tech" as being someone who takes things apart, discards damaged pieces, replaces them with new parts, and reassembles things.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

[bloke]

Maybe that's why I don't like being labeled a so-called "tech", as I tend to think of a "tech" as being someone who takes things apart, discards damaged pieces, replaces them with new parts, and reassembles things.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

arptek

[arpthark]

Maybe that's why I don't like being labeled a so-called "tech", as I tend to think of a "tech" as being someone who takes things apart, discards damaged pieces, replaces them with new parts, and reassembles things.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

arptek

Okay, not completely. I do the stuff that I can do on my own, and stuff that is beyond my skillset/toolset, I take up to my friend in MA who has been doing this since the 80s in Larry Minick's shop, and I do everything with him and insist on being taught instead of just standing around and drinking his coffee while he does the work.

Back to the original post, I do a lot of stuff with drumsticks/dowels that would probably make real repairfolk cringe a bit, but I haven't had any disasters (or at least, no disasters that I don't completely own up to).

[MiBrassFS]

Herr Doktor: ‘Ich glaube, dass du darunter leidest “bloke-think…” Es gibt keine Heilung…’ Hee, hee!

I sort of thought this hadn’t hit the floor as much as it was hugged a little too tightly over the years, but I suppose it could have. Silver’s all there, but it has imperfections, nicks, etc. here and there. No real damage or flat spots. Rode, but not beat. Puts out a big sound. Easy to steer, too. I like a euph shank mouthpiece on it. Seems like that’s the intention with the receiver on board.

Just another side note... Doing this sort of unbendification, people have to keep in mind things that can go wrong and be able to back out of them, maybe solder a brace, etc. I don’t want someone to get a surprise!

But… consider this post a validation of ArpTek’s drumstick tool set! I use ‘em!

[bloke]

Over the years, I've seen quite a few instruments with no marks on them that obviously were dropped on the floor. I believe the fad has passed, but you and I both remember the carpeted band room fad (probably began in the '80s and ended sometime later, YET some still do this today and actually re-carpet) and how badly those band rooms stunk.
When people drop instruments on carpeted floors, they don't end up being any scuffs, but there ends up being just about as much damage.

[MiBrassFS]

My wife’s school was just redone with a freshen up. You guessed it, new carpeting! They must still be doing it!

[MiBrassFS]

I should have been more clear. The tubing was actually fine and completely cylindrical. It was just pushed out of position and no longer parallel to adjacent parts which prevented removing the short fourth slide without hitting something else.

[bloke]

I should have been more clear. The tubing was actually fine and completely cylindrical. It was just pushed out of position and no longer parallel to adjacent parts which prevented removing the short fourth slide without hitting something else.

Assuming others did too, I "got" that, from what you described.

[bloke]

https://www.facebook.com/10008454206039 ... 7S9Ucbxw6v

[MiBrassFS]

More evidence that I have no need for “the book of faces.”

[arpthark]

How about a pair of Channellock pliers wrapped in a leather glove?

[bloke]

How about a pair of Channellock pliers wrapped in a leather glove?

...one's own set of teeth...

[York-aholic]

How about a pair of Channellock pliers wrapped in a leather glove?

What on earth would you use the glove for?

[arpthark]

How about a pair of Channellock pliers wrapped in a leather glove?

What on earth would you use the glove for?

Well, I was wearing it at the time. No pain, no gain!

[bloke]

The stainless steel mouthpieces are really good for tapping on the sides of valve caps to break them loose when they're stuck.

[MiBrassFS]

The stainless steel mouthpieces are really good for tapping on the sides of valve caps to break them loose when they're stuck.

Giving away professional repair technician secrets again!? They’re going to revoke your certification…

[arpthark]

My "soldering jig" for small parts consists of a surplus US Army aluminum pot/food container. Pretty similar to this one:



I fill it with heavy stuff and use the handle on the top, which is pretty stiff, to hold tubing and things in place.

[bloke]

QUITE often...I do NOT use my soldering jig to braze things...

I don't like to patch slide bows, but much prefer to braze cracks closed, fill (melt additional) silver wire over the crack repair, and then use a file to contour/blend the layer of silver into the repaired brass.

A rag around the slide tubes and barely enough vice tension to hold the slide in place (yes...holding the slide tubes with the vice jaws ) is a good secure way (at least, for me) to do these little jobs. hey... It also tends to keep the (lead solder joints) tubes properly aligned - saving a "put it back how it was before" step.

yeah...I'm a short-cutting slob...so shoot me.