Water collection issues

[DonO.]

Looking for some hints on how to solve this from folks who have had similar problems.

The water collection issues with my King 2341 are relatively easy to deal with, having learned to do the “King Dump”. It’s the Kanstul 902-3B that’s more of a problem.

I will be playing along, and after 20-30 minutes I start to hear that dreaded “gurgling” sound. It mostly happens when I am playing a note that uses 2nd valve, so I suspect that’s where it’s collecting. The “King Dump” (tilting to my right) doesn’t do any good, but if I tilt to my left, a bunch of water comes out of the lead pipe. I always depress the valves when do this. Then the problem is solved, the gurgling goes away. Problem solved then? Not really, because tilting to the left low enough for the water to come out is quite awkward, and requires a lot more room than tilting to the right. And there usually isn’t a lot of spare room in a band rehearsal or concert situation.

Has anyone had a problem similar to this? Did you find a solution? I’m guessing some “spit valves” installed in the right places might help, but I don’t see any obvious spots to put them. If it helps, there are two water keys already installed, on the main tuning slide and the lower 3rd valve slide. Very seldom do I get anything to come out there. The other 3 slides all point upwards, they all have 90 degree bends somewhere along the way, and the second valve slide is between first and upper third, very difficult to get to.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

[donn]

My Kanstul tuba is a different model, but I think the valve tubing shape here is the same, and has the same problem where water collects in those elbows next to the valves. I'm usually at liberty to blow through the tuba, so I tilt to the right a bit so the elbow drains into to the valves, and start puffing and blowing and wiggling the valves. It's disgraceful, so I guess if I ever have to play in one of those fancy ensembles where the guys all wear patent leather shoes and bow ties, I'll just have to play with the tuba pointing straight up so the elbows naturally drain into the valves.

[bloke]

A couple of my instruments have had at least seven water keys. I have a water key on the upper #1 slide, and I'm probably going to put one on an upper #3 slide as well. On that particular instrument, that would be eight water keys.

(I tilt the instrument to the left, depress the first valve, open the upper #1 water key, blow gently to break the surface tension, and empty it. No clanking (other than my lips banging against each other) and very little time involved.

So far, no one's fired me for having too many water keys, but please don't turn me into the water key police. (I'm not even licensed for two.)

[PlayTheTuba]

Well if you have the space you could put the tuba on it's bell and just remove the slide and just dump it.

Or remove the second slide and tilt. But then you have to hope the slide wont fall off of the stand.

Or put one os those button like, Saturn? Water keys.

Although one of my band mates that played on the new style King tuba would always just depress the valves and drain through the lead pipe. Faster than removing the 1-3 slides and doing the king spin.

I wonder if there's a correlation with tubas that condensate a lot and producing a good sound at the same time...

[arpthark]

Can you post a photo of your horn, @DonO.? I looked online and all the pics of that model don't have a clear shot of the valve section.

[DonO.]

IMG_0193.jpeg (55.72 KiB) Viewed 330 times

[bloke]

I've been known to install water keys on places like that 90° elbow which comes out of the right side of the number three valve casing.

[DonO.]

Can you post a photo of your horn, @DonO.? I looked online and all the pics of that model don't have a clear shot of the valve section.

Here’s a close up of the valve section.

IMG_0195.jpeg (52.66 KiB) Viewed 328 times

[DonO.]

I've been known to install water keys on places like that 90° elbow which comes out of the right side of the number three valve casing.

3rd valve doesn’t seem to be the problem though. It’s worst on 2nd followed by 1st.

All of the valves have 90 degree elbows. I think it’s because they used the same valve set as they did for their upright models.

[bloke]

Well, you could consider doing what I do which is to put water keys on the upper bows, tilting the horn to the left, and emptying them.

[DonO.]

Well, you could consider doing what I do which is to put water keys on the upper bows, tilting the horn to the left, and emptying them.

I think that would be a great idea! Putting water keys on first and third would be easy. One problem, though, would be the 2nd valve slide. The pull ring is where I would want the water key. Also, you can see how difficult it is to get to that slide, sandwiched between first and third slides.

[bloke]

You would cut the ring off of its flange, and silver braze it to the back ridge of the water key. You can use the ring to open the water key or to pull the slide out via pulling on the water key.

bloke "an engineer - with European ancestry"