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Best slide grease for the tuba

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 10:36 am
by tubanews
I know there are some magical combinations for slide grease out there. In school I remember using a combination of lanolin and then dousing it with valve oil (I think the valve oil was red but I dont remember the name of it). I do have one tricky slide I have to work with that nothing seems to work on. (Its probably misaligned) The last time I dealt with this I think I went with the Shilke slide grease.

Any suggestions?

Re: Best slide grease for the tuba

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 10:46 am
by bloke
I don’t blame you a bit for asking the question, and understand what you’re trying to work around…
...but also think of asking a mechanic what is the best grease to put in a bent rear differential of a truck.

Re: Best slide grease for the tuba

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 11:21 am
by tbonesullivan
So, is the slide too stiff I would assume? Do you have to bend it inward/outward to get it to go back in when you remove it?

Re: Best slide grease for the tuba

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 11:22 am
by LeMark
Can you insert on leg of the slide at a time into each individual outer slides? That will isolate if the problem is a dent or a misalignment

Re: Best slide grease for the tuba

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 11:26 am
by tubanews
LeMark wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 11:22 am Can you insert on leg of the slide at a time into each individual outer slides? That will isolate if the problem is a dent or a misalignment
I suspect misalignment because I have to sort of see-saw it from side to side to get it to move. Which I have to be careful of because it so stiff I dont want to break off a solder joint.

It does seem to respond to slide lubrication just not for very long. Also I am interested in peoples slide grease tricks. I know there are some out there.

Re: Best slide grease for the tuba

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 12:35 pm
by matt g
I used to use the old Selmer brand slide/cork grease (red goo) and Al Cass. I’d put a thin layer of the slide grease on and then work the slide, one leg at a time, with the Al Cass.

Now I use Hetman’s slide oil and it gives a very similar feel.

ETA: this is the Selmer goo...

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Grease-Tuning ... /107488446

Re: Best slide grease for the tuba

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 12:44 pm
by tubanews
matt g wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 12:35 pm I used to use the old Selmer brand slide/cork grease (red goo) and Al Cass. I’d put a thin layer of the slide grease on and then work the slide, one leg at a time, with the Al Cass.
I think that was the concoction I was thinking of.... I believe I used this on the first valve slide specifically so that it would slide as freely as possible. I cant remember if this mix was recommended by a bone player or not...

Re: Best slide grease for the tuba

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 12:52 pm
by bloke
Does Schilke still make that lanolin concoction in that old percolator ?

Re: Best slide grease for the tuba

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 1:01 pm
by tubanews
bloke wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 12:52 pm Does Schilke still make that lanolin concoction in that old percolator ?
This?
shilke_grease.jpeg
shilke_grease.jpeg (42.66 KiB) Viewed 1827 times

Re: Best slide grease for the tuba

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 1:05 pm
by bloke
maybe...' wonder if the formula and "cooker" are still the same...(??)

Re: Best slide grease for the tuba

Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2020 2:30 pm
by marccromme
matt g wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 12:35 pm I used to use the old Selmer brand slide/cork grease (red goo) and Al Cass. I’d put a thin layer of the slide grease on and then work the slide, one leg at a time, with the Al Cass.

ETA: this is the Selmer goo...

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Grease-Tuning ... /107488446
This! :clap:

Re: Best slide grease for the tuba

Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 4:25 am
by JESimmons
I’m still working on the container of anhydrous lanolin I bought from a drug store in Athens, Georgia in 1967.

Re: Best slide grease for the tuba

Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 8:40 am
by Yorkboy
*

Re: Best slide grease for the tuba

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 1:21 pm
by Stauff
Conn Selmer did away with the Selmer brand and re-marketed the slide grease under the Bach name, still 2942B part number. Still red, still tacky.
https://buddyrogers.com/bach-tuning-slide-grease/

Re: Best slide grease for the tuba

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 4:07 pm
by Three Valves
Red stuff for slides.

Blue stuff for valves.