Conn "naked lady" bell

[tubatom91]

I've been working on my Conn 20j conversion for about a year now and have just recently been funding alternatives to buying the ever abundant but high priced upright bells for it. Right now I'm working in my University's fully equipped instrument repair shop, and have been taking out all of the dents in the horn and fixing the valves etc. I mentioned I wanted an upright bell for it eventually, and mentioned the cost of a new(ish) one. The repair says "Why don't we make one" and as he searched around he found an old Conn bell in a closet in the basement that belongs to a long lost tuba somewhere. It's a 20j bell for certain, I examined it closely and found the "naked lady" engraving on it. My question, what is the significance of the engraving? and as the pictures will show...how the hell do I clean this thing up, without destroying the engraving?

[46K]

First you could try to use VERY hot water and a dishwashing brush to get the remaining old laquer off. (be carefull not to get burnt!)
Then polish with a non-abrasive copper cleaning product.
Just finished a bell like that a few weeks ago-took about an hour.

[Dan Schultz]

I've always found it much easier to strip off the lacquer BEFORE using a torch to take things apart. A flame tends to turn the remaining lacquer harder than glass... often resulting in having to buff off the remaining lacquer.

[tubatom91]

eh, it was an easy torch job that didn't do enough damage to the remaining lacquer to cause too much trouble. I'm sure my teacher wasn't too concerned as I'm doing all of the buffing .

[pigman]

You can try a citris based "green" stripper available at a paint store. I have had good sucess with no harm to the metal.

With the engraving... go easy on the polishing. no sanding just red rouge it schould hod up fine
The womans torso in the pentagon was designed by conn engrave Jake Osborn in the 20'S and used into the 60'S it is rumered to be Jakes wife. Jake was the best at cutting the lady face amoung the Conn engravers. The engraving disapeared in the 60's as the cost of the hand work was too high. We now suffer with Laser and acid etching or a impact roll stamp. . There are very few hand engravers left that specialized in this technic. The one s I know of are
Bob Evans Worked for conn, armstrong, artley, Buescher and most recently EK Blessing
Sherry Huntly. Artistic engraving in Misawaka IN Hice web site Worked for bach
My freind and teacher Jerry Brownstien, Who engraved for Selmer, Martin, Powell, and engraved all the NY caliccicios, many NY bachs ,all the Mt Vernon Bachs, and Sansone instruments.

Oh! and me. But I dont engrave for profit.




Ray

[Dan Schultz]

First try lacquer thinner (not paint thinner).
Then try Aircraft remover.
Then try easy off oven cleaner.

.....

Concurring..... Aircraft brand stripper works on most lacquers but won't touch the 'Eastlake Orange' stuff... which calls for caustics like 'Easy-off' oven cleaner. On the other hand... 'Easy-off' won't touch conventional lacquers.

I don't know anything that will take off lacquer once it has been heated by the use of a torch.... other than sanding or buffing.

[J.c. Sherman]

And here I was wondering why there was an aircraft on the bell to begin with... who knew they made a special remover for it too!

LOL!!!

J.c.S.

[TUbajohn20J]

While on this topic..What is the best "stuff" to strip off gold laquer? I would really like to get rid of this ugly gold laquer and get my horn polished up and re-laquered in a more clear coat. To me, regular laquer looks prettier and more modern..especially on a tuba or sousa