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I don't think it's too important what brand of oil you are using... just that you use it regularly. It's also very important to clean the pistons and casings somewhat regularly when you get a new horn.

So, regular valve oil for the pistons. Put some valve oil in the main tuning slide, put the slide back in the horn, rock the horn such that the oil passes by the rotor valve - rapidly open and close the rotor valve as you rock it. You might want to use water first, to rinse out the rotor, before you put the oil in there.

You want to use rotor oil for everything outside the valve. Basically, any part of the linkage that moves... you don't want to have dry metal moving up against dry metal. Consult the following page for better detailed instructions:
http://www.osmun.com/reference/Rot_Maint.htm

To clarify... rotor oil does not go inside the instrument or inside the valve.

I guess you might want to consider valve oil thickness:

www.hetman.com wrote:1. LIGHT PISTON - Specifically formulated for close tolerance piston valves. PN: H1-LP-60

2. PISTON - Designed for instruments with piston valves having average clearance. PN: H2-P-60.

3. CLASSIC PISTON - Synthetic protection for your classic instrument. Specially formulated oil helps to seal piston valves that exhibit greater than average clearance. Helps prevent valves from sticking. PN: H3-CP-60.

You'd probably want a thinner oil because it is a new instrument... ie Hetman oil no. 1

I recently owned a fairly new Yorkbrunner with GREAT valves. I used Blue Juice (as I use on all of my horns) and never had a problem. The Yorkbrunner was 5 years old and I used Blue Juice on my 20-yr old HB-2P as well....same results. I use it on my 19-yr old B&S F and it works great on rotaries as well.

All of the York-style horns collect water like mad, so my one piece of advice is to always empty your top slides when you're done playing....especially with a new horn. You don't want that water laying in there.

Good luck with the new ax....hope it gets you a job so you can pay for it!

-Josh

I don't own a Yorkbrunner, but good valve maintenance is the same regardless of the make or model of tuba you play. I also have to empty water a lot as I play, so I concur with making sure you empty the pipes at the end of a session. I've used Roche-Thomas for 30 years: cheap, good, doesn't dilute easily, colorless, almost odorless, no residue, comes in a 16 oz bottle for only about twice the price of a 1 to 2 oz bottle of some "boutique" oils, and lasts a long, long time. I keep the big bottle at home and have a little bottle I refill in each case for each of my instruments.

quinterbourne wrote:
So, regular valve oil for the pistons. Put some valve oil in the main tuning slide, put the slide back in the horn, rock the horn such that the oil passes by the rotor valve - rapidly open and close the rotor valve as you rock it. You might want to use water first, to rinse out the rotor, before you put the oil in there.

When you oil the rotor valve like this, does the oil come in contact with the actual parts that need it? I thought the valve itself isn't actually touching anything. Please explain.

The 5th valve rotor is usually suspended on a shaft or bearing point, so it has a fixed rotation inside the casing. Piston valves, just like pistons in any engine, will drop oil by their nature, hence piston valve oil only has to have moderate shear characteristics, as it is designed to be consumed and replaced relatively quickly. In that regard, just about anything will work, from simple valve oils to teflon solutions to plain lamp oil or even kerosene, so long as there is not excessive residue. OTOH, for a rotor you have to have an oil that is specifically designed to be thick enough to sit as a film between the rotor and the casing and not shear or dilute, but still thin enough to not impede rotation, and have very little residue. Then you have to have another lubricant for the linkage, which has to be thicker to damp noise as well as keep the linkage movable, unlike tuning slide grease which has to be thin enough to let the slide move, but thick enough to stabilize it once adjusted. So, between the piston valves, one rotor valve, linkage and tuning slides, you need four different lubricants to fully maintain any 4p+1r tuba, regardless of size, make or model. Another reason I just bang around on my Besson: cheap vaseline and cheap Roche-Thomas do all I need.

clagar777 wrote:When you oil the rotor valve like this, does the oil come in contact with the actual parts that need it? I thought the valve itself isn't actually touching anything. Please explain.

I did this because it was recommended on the website I found. After I did this I noticed an immediate improvement of the 5th valve rotor action on my 4p+1r Rudy. I don't really know the mechanics much, but I know positive results when I see/hear/feel them.

I suspect that, at the very least, what happened is that it cleaned/flushed out some of the debris that was sitting in the rotor casing area. This is my first time with a horn with rotors, so I don't really know too much, except what seems to work.

iiipopes wrote:OTOH, for a rotor you have to have an oil that is specifically designed to be thick enough to sit as a film between the rotor and the casing and not shear or dilute, but still thin enough to not impede rotation, and have very little residue.

Are you saying that you need to put oil into the horn for the 5th rotor that is of a different consistency than the oil used for the 4 pistons? If so, won't the two oils end up mixing and gumming up the entire operation?

Look where the rotor is compared to the 4 piston valves. Unless you really push fluid through the horn, any oil that may come off the pistons is going to go out the spit valve or at least be dumped when you remove and empty the slide manually. It's not an issue. And if you do put that much air through the horn, then you need to go get the 7/4 Rudy at Lee Stofer's instead!

iiipopes wrote:Look where the rotor is compared to the 4 piston valves. Unless you really push fluid through the horn, any oil that may come off the pistons is going to go out the spit valve or at least be dumped when you remove and empty the slide manually. It's not an issue. And if you do put that much air through the horn, then you need to go get the 7/4 Rudy at Lee Stofer's instead!

I was more worried about the oil that I put into the rotor (via the main tuning tube) going into the pistons and gumming them up.

Kenneth wrote:Do you have
any advise or comment on the maintenance of a yorkbrunner?

Thanks,
Kenneth

There is zero difference between maintaining a Yorkbrunner and any other tuba. Buy whatever valve oil you prefer based on trial and error. I like Hetman, but others also have their preferences.

I owned a Yorkbrunner for a few years and am not too sad it is sold. Never did it for me.

quinterbourne wrote:I was more worried about the oil that I put into the rotor (via the main tuning tube) going into the pistons and gumming them up.

Again, it's downstream. It's not an issue.

Yeah...for valve oil, I use Zaja, and it will last forever since it has some teflon in it. It also smells good, to the point where people actually enjoy smelling my valve oil. Then, the outside parts of a rotor (you know, the back that has the cover, and where the actual valve hookup is) you should try Radio Shack. They have some lube that comes in a pen-shaped applicator thing, and the applicator part will have a little yellow cap, along with an actual clear cap for the top.

iiipopes wrote:

quinterbourne wrote:I was more worried about the oil that I put into the rotor (via the main tuning tube) going into the pistons and gumming them up.

Again, it's downstream. It's not an issue.

I guess it depends where the 5th rotor is, but on mine the rotor is right after the 4th piston. So, when you put an oil different than the piston oil into the rotor valve via the main tuning slide, much of the oil will go through the rotor and will enter the piston area, then will go back down into the rotor... mixing the two different oils together.

So, that's why I like to use the same valve oil inside the horn.

I have used lamp oil from Wal-Mart for several years with good results. The Lamplight ULTRA-PURE is what I am currently using for all my tubas. I pour it into a coffee mug and dip the valve into the cup. It not only lubricates the valve, it cleans off some of the dirt as well.

It is odorless and (as far as I can tell) the exact same substance as the valve oil sold in 2 ounce bottles for $4.00 or more. I get 45 ounces of it for about $2.00. When the oil in the cup gets dirty I use it as a charcoal lighter when I am grilling hamburgers. (They taste pretty good too)

I am sure that people who make money selling valve oil won’t want this info posted publically, but I believe valve oil is nothing but deodorized kerosine. However, if anyone has any scientific information that would indicate any problem with using lamp oil I would really appreciate hearing about it. (Especially if it causes dain bramage or any other ailments.

markaustinhowle wrote:I have used lamp oil from Wal-Mart for several years with good results. The Lamplight ULTRA-PURE is what I am currently using for all my tubas. ...

...It is odorless and (as far as I can tell) the exact same substance as the valve oil sold in 2 ounce bottles for $4.00 or more. I get 45 ounces of it for about $2.00. ...

Lamp oil is not the same mixture of petroleum distillates as valve oil. It may be a decent cleaner but the lubricating qualities are limited.

Lamp oil is OK to use but there is better lubrication available for the original poster's Yorkbrunner. I'd suggest buying one the Hetman oils as a starting point.

Lamp oil would be a little thick for new valves I think.