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I see valve oils with varying viscosities like "regular, light, thin, vintage, rotor". I have pretty much have only used traditional Al Cass oil (no smell to it and that's why I like it) and am wondering if this is considered a light oil or a regular oil? Can someone with more experience with brass oils let me know?

(Sorry wrong section of the forum, can someone move this?)

I don't really understand any of that jazz...
My guess is that "rotor" is a little thicker and that "vintage" might be a euphemism for "for worn/loose-fitting valves".

Blue Juice is the same color and odor of 1960's-into-the-1970's Leblanc (1 oz.) valve oil. It's a weird odor, but the olfactory thing brings back pleasant childhood memories for me. For others, it's probably just weird.

All valve oil stinks (becomes putrid) if it sits around long enough, just as does gasoline.

Others here know what I do, rather than worrying over (and getting 'soaked' buying) "valve" oils, and "bearing" oils.

When "valve" oil costs as much as it does, the temptation is to not use very much of it, and - in my view - the more - and more often - the better, so I shop cheap...I mean really cheap.

bloke wrote: ↑Sat Dec 09, 2023 11:23 pm

When "valve" oil costs as much as it does, the temptation is to not use very much of it, and - in my view - the more - and more often - the better, so I shop cheap...I mean really cheap.

I know a guy who swears by straight kerosene with a little naptha mixed in. The bottle stinks to high heaven but he didn't seem to have any problems with his valves.

Does anyone remember an old time valve oil….Fricnon? That stuff was great…

internalanarchy wrote: ↑Sat Dec 09, 2023 9:42 pm I see valve oils with varying viscosities like "regular, light, thin, vintage, rotor". I have pretty much have only used traditional Al Cass oil (no smell to it and that's why I like it) and am wondering if this is considered a light oil or a regular oil? Can someone with more experience with brass oils let me know?

(Sorry wrong section of the forum, can someone move this?)

Al Cass volatilizes quickly, and in my experience leaves next to no residue. Thats why I like it, I can wash/flush/oil regularly and no worries about goo, and it works with everything from sloppy old rotors to freshly-honed pistons. I love it. I buy it by the "case"=12 bottles per box.

To answer your question, I consider it a "light oil."

f.w.i.w. I also have a supply of "spacefiller ultimate" I and II which were recommended to me when I got my last favorite tuba some years ago. But I never use it, I far prefer the no-residue experience I get with Al Cass.
.

You might really like this article

https://www.nemc-partners.com/resources ... you-kno_54

I use paraffin (so-called "ultra-pure") lamp oil (nothing added to it) and oil EVERY time I play an instrument.
pennies per oz./bought by the gallon jug

I use SAE 30 or 20 motor oil for bearings.

I also use SAE 30 or 20 motor oil on slides (AS LONG AS THEY ARE NO WHERE CLOSE to the pistons or rotors.

If close to pistons/rotors, I use lamp on on the slides, and I use lamp oil on slides that I move on-the-fly.

None of my valves or slides have issues (on any of my instruments), and they are are clean in the inside, so I never have problems (unless something crazy happens - like a hair ends up falling - unnoticed - on piston surface, or I don't clean out a piston tuba's bottom caps as often as I should).

With crappy-or-dirty valves/casings, lime deposits, incomplete valve damage or slide damage repair, or ill-fitting slides, people spend money on all sorts of expensive lubricants as attempted workarounds.

Occasionally I play a souzy that is @ a century old (five-digit serial number starting with "5") with the "student" .687 bore (not the "standard" .734 bore), probably a Pan Am or other Conn pre-14K model, with a later Cavalier bell. For its valve oil, I use any standard valve oil (or even the lamp oil if I have any). Fill your small bottle 1/2 full and add a couple of drops of pharmaceutical grade mineral oil to slightly thicken it so the worn valves will seal. You will know how much to use: somewhere in the first few drops, intonation will improve. A few drops too much and the valves start to slow down. Remedy: add just a little more regular valve oil. Then play on!