Hey Wes. I enjoy your videos. I have some questions, but need to give you the backstory. This is a story of a long time coming and an ongoing LABOR OF LOVE. I will be as brief as I can. -- played a BB-flat school tuba 35 years ago in JHS and HS -- could/would never afford a tuba of my own simply due to priorities -- found a *King 1140* at a local thrift store, with the case, for $95. Yep, $94.99 to be exact. -- perfect playing condition outside of some major dents on the larger brass tubes -- had a local shop repair the bell and some tone-impacting dents in one smaller tube -- decided I wanted it to look better. Restoration of a student model by a shop? LMAO -- removed the bell and bell bow so far And we are at the present day: I have decided to strip the lacquer. A 1943 model according to the Conn-Selmer site. The lacquer is like something I have never seen. I've stripped plenty of steel and furniture. I have tried every solvent... *EVERY* one you can get at Lowe's. I had Acetone, Mineral Spirits and Denatured Booze on hand. Now I have the whole section, plus the expensive "premium" strippers. Very little progress. I need something that will melt this stuff since I will not be able to mechanically remove all the lacquer in the nooks and crannies. I have TIME on my side since I am not playing anywhere. Thinking some sort of long soak in a garbage can... weeks or months if needed. Sorry for the verbosity. But I had to tell the story.
I'm just starting out as a repairman and you videos are very helpful to me. I'm just starting dent work and I was wondering how to roll the bell flare without having lines in the bell from the edge of the roller. I seem to keep having this issue. Thanks!
That happens when you roll a whole bell instead of just rolling a dent. Concentrate on just the dented area and you get a feel for it. It is definitely a feel and practice! Use a good lubricant also. I use a lanolin product. There are 2 sizes of rollers, and the bigger one is easier for large instruments as it gives a bigger area without getting near the edge.
Hey Wes, I got a tuba with a stuck 2nd valve and live on an island with no repair shop. I suspect it is a valve problem, rather than casing, because another valve can perform in the 2nd valve casing. What is the best way to get the valve back into alignment or could there be another diagnosis? Going to a mash repair school, in colorado, in July to hopefully figure it out, but any help would be nice. Thanks
Sounds like bottom of piston is out of round or the piston is bent. Out of round piston bottom needs a ball and rawhide mallet to bring back round. Bent piston needs to be sighted to define the bend, then a rounding sleeve of proper diameter or the casing is used along with a rawhide mallet to “knock” the piston straight.
Personally, I would charge about $200 for that job. And it doesn't take 5 minutes like the video LOL. The vids always make it look like it is a quick thing, but that would take me half a day depending on what else needs done. It is usually dependent on the time and materials, so sometimes it gets too expensive to make it near perfect and that usually isn't needed on school horns anyway, so you have to make a judgement call. Most of my work is school instruments, so it is more of a bulk processing price. Not sure if Wes does that, but it works for me.
When I saw the rotors and nickel Kranz on the bell, figured must be a German instrument and was proven right after reading the info. Nice work.
Great work! I love watching videos of work like this being performed.
Thanks! I’m trying to do more. Appreciate the support.
Love watching the process.
Your are an artist! Fun to watch.
Mi piace vedere questi lavori, complimenti, grazie
Hey Wes. I enjoy your videos. I have some questions, but need to give you the backstory. This is a story of a long time coming and an ongoing LABOR OF LOVE. I will be as brief as I can.
-- played a BB-flat school tuba 35 years ago in JHS and HS
-- could/would never afford a tuba of my own simply due to priorities
-- found a *King 1140* at a local thrift store, with the case, for $95. Yep, $94.99 to be exact.
-- perfect playing condition outside of some major dents on the larger brass tubes
-- had a local shop repair the bell and some tone-impacting dents in one smaller tube
-- decided I wanted it to look better. Restoration of a student model by a shop? LMAO
-- removed the bell and bell bow so far
And we are at the present day:
I have decided to strip the lacquer. A 1943 model according to the Conn-Selmer site. The lacquer is like something I have never seen. I've stripped plenty of steel and furniture. I have tried every solvent... *EVERY* one you can get at Lowe's. I had Acetone, Mineral Spirits and Denatured Booze on hand. Now I have the whole section, plus the expensive "premium" strippers. Very little progress.
I need something that will melt this stuff since I will not be able to mechanically remove all the lacquer in the nooks and crannies.
I have TIME on my side since I am not playing anywhere. Thinking some sort of long soak in a garbage can... weeks or months if needed.
Sorry for the verbosity. But I had to tell the story.
I'm just starting out as a repairman and you videos are very helpful to me. I'm just starting dent work and I was wondering how to roll the bell flare without having lines in the bell from the edge of the roller. I seem to keep having this issue. Thanks!
That happens when you roll a whole bell instead of just rolling a dent. Concentrate on just the dented area and you get a feel for it. It is definitely a feel and practice! Use a good lubricant also. I use a lanolin product. There are 2 sizes of rollers, and the bigger one is easier for large instruments as it gives a bigger area without getting near the edge.
@@jstep4146 thank you! This is so helpful.
He went ham on the bell at first
how much did it cost
How much does you charge to fix that?
Bravissimo
Hey Wes,
I got a tuba with a stuck 2nd valve and live on an island with no repair shop. I suspect it is a valve problem, rather than casing, because another valve can perform in the 2nd valve casing. What is the best way to get the valve back into alignment or could there be another diagnosis? Going to a mash repair school, in colorado, in July to hopefully figure it out, but any help would be nice. Thanks
Sounds like bottom of piston is out of round or the piston is bent. Out of round piston bottom needs a ball and rawhide mallet to bring back round. Bent piston needs to be sighted to define the bend, then a rounding sleeve of proper diameter or the casing is used along with a rawhide mallet to “knock” the piston straight.
What model is this?
How much you charge?
Personally, I would charge about $200 for that job. And it doesn't take 5 minutes like the video LOL. The vids always make it look like it is a quick thing, but that would take me half a day depending on what else needs done. It is usually dependent on the time and materials, so sometimes it gets too expensive to make it near perfect and that usually isn't needed on school horns anyway, so you have to make a judgement call. Most of my work is school instruments, so it is more of a bulk processing price. Not sure if Wes does that, but it works for me.
they play in the beat up orchestra . these musicians are hardon there instuments just saying!!!!
Middle schools are brutal on instruments. High school are a bit better but can still destroy about anything.