That Time I Cut a 186 from BBb to CC…

[bloke]

The most difficult part was getting that thick-@$$ (Deutsch...stark und überbaut) silver off of it.
That said, I have a two-horse 240V (geared down to just under) 3000 rpm buffer here, and two side-by-side 8" spiral-sewn buffing wheels defined it as (at least) possible. Thankfully, I took the time (when we moved out here) to install an exhaust fan right in from of that particular machine.

BEFORE I tore the silver off it, I DID notice that it was heavy, but I just attributed that to (WRONG) "back in the early 1960's, Miraphone used thicker sheet metal".

[bloke]

I did just notice a difference...
Not only is the interior seam on the old one very rough (as were the early outer curve seams),
but the styling of the way they cut the ends of the bow cap was different.

bow cap ends.gif (6.94 KiB) Viewed 4956 times

ALSO...
That's a bunch of tarnish for not very many days after being buffed...
I wasn't thinking about the fact that I was (protection from denting) putting foam rubber (containing sulfur compounds) right next to raw brass.
Even worse, it's OLD foam rubber (as old foam rubber begins to break down).
(dumb)

THAT SAID...
Maybe it's an easy way (if a customer has to schedule a repair pickup months off in the future) to speed up the repatination a repaired raw brass area...(??)

[tubatodd]

@the elephant so is it done? How many 186 horns do you presently own?

[bloke]

I fixed up and sold off all but one (if you're asking me?).
The last one I have had two terrible rotors and I looked through all my Miraphone rotors and found two that I could lap into those two casings for a like new fit, so (along with rummaging through a whole bunch of linkage that I had) the valve section is going to be amazing, and I have a new bell (that I bought from Miraphone when I was ordering a bunch of other stuff from them) to put on it.

I think Mississippi State is going to buy it.

Also have a beat up one that belongs to a private Catholic High School that needs $2,800 of work. They have to pay for it after July 1st out of next fiscal year's money.

[tubatodd]

I fixed up and sold off all but one (if you're asking me?).
The last one I have had two terrible rotors and I looked through all my Miraphone rotors and found two that I could lap into those two casings for a like new fit, so (along with rummaging through a whole bunch of linkage that I had) the valve section is going to be amazing, and I have a new bell (that I bought from Miraphone when I was ordering a bunch of other stuff from them) to put on it.

I think Mississippi State is going to buy it.

Also have a beat up one that belongs to a private Catholic High School that needs $2,800 of work. They have to pay for it after July 1st out of next fiscal year's money.

The question was for @the elephant Wade. I know he sold his beloved 186 recently. Now it looks like he has 2 more (1 complete and 1 in progress). I was just curious if I have my facts straight.

[bloke]

Being a donor to the project, I'm eager to see Wade's unfinished 1986 C project completed.