Drat! Recovery from wet felts on piston valves?

[pulseczar]

the compression of a wet felt should not utterly destroy the alignment of the valves and screw up the sound of your horn.

[SplatterTone]

I slop oil into my horns -- lot's of it. I can't stand to see green stuff on the insides. So, yeah, I do prefer the rotary valves. I've replaced felt on one of my piston valve euphs with "3M pad" (that green nylon-looky scouring pad stuff). It was the right thickness for the horn and has held up very well.

[Thomas Maurice Booth]

Don't they get somewhat wet anyway while your playing?

[windshieldbug]

Don't they get somewhat wet anyway while your playing?

Unless you have one of these...

[dwerden]

Don't they get somewhat wet anyway while your playing?

Many of us tend to put the horn down on the floor resting on its bell. This will cause moisture to run down to the top (is that like "Back to the Future"?) of the piston and soak the felt. I have been trying to get into the habit of putting my horn down horizontally. I suppose it would be best to have one of the instrument stands that holds the horn upright.

I have had to restore felts before and this worked: I washed them in mildly soapy water and didn't compress them more then necessary to get them clean. But that did require compressing them to some extent. Then I rinsed them over and over, squeezing as needed between each rinse. Once they were clear of soap, I soaked them one more time until they regained their normal thickness, placed them on a few sheets of paper towel, and let them dry. They came out almost like new and had good fluffiness. The best way to ruin a set of felts is to squeeze them dry. That will encourage them to stay flatter and less fluffy then they should.

But that was in a situation where I could not get new felts. Best answer is alwaysto have a spare set on hand (they are cheap enough). It's probably also smart to have spare springs and valve guides, plus maybe one water key pad (and glue).

[Dan Schultz]

How much you figure we're even talkin' here- like would you even notice unless they're already way out of alignment!?

You'll notice a difference after a short while if you stack up 3/8" of felts... as is sometimes found in 20J valvesets.

[Dan Schultz]

Well, Dan, what about neoprene pads? How often should those be replaced?

Neoprene pads are OK, but some of the synthetics I've seen tend to harden a bit after they've been in use for a while. It might be due to the moisture and oils. I usually change my felts and corks whenever I chem-clean my horns... which isn't all that often. I stick with good old cork and felt.

[Chuck(G)]

Neoprene pads are OK, but some of the synthetics I've seen tend to harden a bit after they've been in use for a while. It might be due to the moisture and oils. I usually change my felts and corks whenever I chem-clean my horns... which isn't all that often. I stick with good old cork and felt.

On the 20K/20J-type short-stroke valves, I make corks from synthetic (plastic) wine bottle corks using a sharp plug cutter in a drill press. They hold their dimensions and last pretty much forever. They've got enough "give" that you don't need felts.

[iiipopes]

Hey! Synthetic cork wine bottle corks! I hadn't thought of that! Not only will they work better, I'm sure, but now I have another excuse to buy more wine! Thanks!

[iiipopes]

Yes, they do. And yes, I have been known to resemble that remark. But I'm thinking of Stone Hill -- check them out for the free tour and tastings next time you're at the lake! Why, one of their corks is probably good for a couple of tubas! And in a pinch, you could always trim one of the sparkler corks for a valve button to finish the New Year's gig!

[windshieldbug]

Stone Hill...

Don't they make Ripple?

Naw!
You remember; "What's the word? Thunderbird!"

Now with the handy break-off tops!

[tubatooter1940]

Doc is the man who got me into pounding Shiner Bocks.
Yengling Black and Tan is me new favorite.
Tasty!

[windshieldbug]

Yuengling Black & Tan... try the porter!

[pulseczar]

Well, Dan, what about neoprene pads? How often should those be replaced?

Neoprene pads are OK, but some of the synthetics I've seen tend to harden a bit after they've been in use for a while. It might be due to the moisture and oils. I usually change my felts and corks whenever I chem-clean my horns... which isn't all that often. I stick with good old cork and felt.

When you say synthetics, do you mean the stuff Kraus carries?

[Dan Schultz]

Well, Dan, what about neoprene pads? How often should those be replaced?

Neoprene pads are OK, but some of the synthetics I've seen tend to harden a bit after they've been in use for a while. It might be due to the moisture and oils. I usually change my felts and corks whenever I chem-clean my horns... which isn't all that often. I stick with good old cork and felt.

When you say synthetics, do you mean the stuff Kraus carries?

I haven't actually purchased and installed any synthetic materials, yet. I'm just basing my comments on the ones I see come into the shop. Just about anything that is exposed to fluids and oils is going to suffer some sort of deterioriation. I DO use some Viton o'rings for rotor bumpers, though. I see some really strange stuff sometimes. It sort of makes me wonder what some folks use for lubricants on their horns. Also, everyone's body chemistry isn't the same. I don't think there is an optimum material that will suit everyone and every condition. Experiment and bit and use what works for you.

[sloan]

Doc is the man who got me into pounding Shiner Bocks.
Yengling Black and Tan is me new favorite.
Tasty!

one word: Leinenkugel

[XtremeEuph]

thought id bring this back up because im still not 100% clear. Im just using pure cork on TOP the piston (aka no felt), does it matter if the CORK gets wet?