Making a Frankintuba

[ArnoldGottlieb]

That looks like a lot of work. If you're trying to save money, it's probably no savings if you figure out your hourly wage and the fact that what you build may not be what you want. On the other hand I wish I had the time and space to try it. Carl Kleinsteuber has a really great read about his projects on his web site, check the link. Good Luck. ASG
http://home.wxs.nl/~tubaness/

[Dan Schultz]

I read Rick Denny's sight about cutting an Eb down to F but have not seen anywhere about putting together a whole instrument.
Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Just put the pieces together is one of the following lengths:

BBb - 18 feet
CC - 16 feet
Eb - 13.5 feet
F - 12

Also, the term 'cut' often means 'add' tubing instead of 'remove' it. For example... it would be fairly tough to make a BBb horn into a CC horn because you have to figure out how to remove two feet of tubing. Whereas... to make an Eb horn into a CC, you have to add 2 1/2' of tubing. 'Cutting' and Eb to an F is a bit of a chore as you would most likely have to mess with the tapers... which is the REAL secret to building a tuba or any other conical bore instrument. To make an Eb into a CC... depending on certain factors... a person might get by with adding 2 1/2 feet of straight bore tubing as long as it is done right next to the valveset.

It's possible to use lengths of garden hose to determine the lengths to bring a horn into tune.... add hose to lower the pitch and vice versa.

I built my Eb helicon from a York Eb sousa body and an Olds bell... but I had to add about 14" of tubing to the lower mouthpipe to get the pitch down to Eb. That's about the difference between the original sousa bell/main crook and the Olds bell.

As far as making a F tuba out of the Eb you have pictured, I doubt if you could get 1 1/2 feet out of it without getting into the large tapers. Maybe if the horn had a tuning slide in the lead pipe you could pull it off. Have fun!

[Dan Schultz]

I would be more interested in making a CC or a BBb and a BBb most likley because i don't want to have to learn new fingerings.

You'ld have to find a way to add 4 1/2 feet of tubing. Just buy a beat-up old BBb horn.... unless you've just simply got way too much time on your hands and don't mind accepting failure.

[MikeMason]

.687 not cavernous. but who's counting...

[Dan Schultz]

I would like to rebuild them yes.... I used to help with my Drum Corps's horn line when they got bent and ding'd up rolling out the bells and soldering on braces and what not so i figure why not give it a try is all.

Ah yes!... I have lots more horns in my collection than I would have if I didn't have the ability to repair them. It's very frustrating starting out but with every tool you accumulate comes more experience. I spend a lot more time messing around with my own stuff but I get a lot of enjoyment out of it. It's great fun putting stuff together just to see it if will work. On my shop wall hangs a King 618 single F horn. I salvaged it from a school scrap heap. The bell was crumpled and there were dents over every square inch of it. I spent waaaayyyy to much time on it but the rewards of what I learned made it worth every drop of sweat I lost on it. I now just use it for a 'loaner'. I say if you have the time and energy, go ahead and try building a horn. There's plenty of information out there and if you get into trouble you can always ask Rick Denny how to straighten it out. The best way to learn is to try.

[Dan Schultz]

Just out of curiousity, where do you purchase your tools?

I bought a lot of my tools used from various sources. Some tools I've purchased from Ferree's and Allied. Quite a few tools I have made myself. Most shops have the standard stuff like dent balls, scrapers, burnishers, cleaning tanks, and soldering tools... then there is a wide variety of specialty and time-saving tools... beginning with a 'dent (removing) machine'. One could easily spend $10,000 to set up a shop with all the goodies and a stock of common parts.