TubeNet

I have a Walt Johnson flight case from 2004 - not their largest tuba case - it holds a Conn 52J. About every other time it flies the airlines crack the wheels on it - literally - I end up with half a wheel! Up until now, I just contacted the company and they sent me new wheels - and once new mounting brackets to replace bent ones. But it went a couple of years without flying (breaking wheels) and this time when I contacted them they are unable to help. It seems they redesigned shortly after I bought my case and no longer use anything close - even the mounting method is completely different.

My case has small (maybe 2" diameter) wheels attached with a silver mounting bracket. (Sorry the case isn't with me so I can get a detailed description)

Has anyone solved this problem already? Any suggestions?

Kathy McDonald

katfey wrote:I have a Walt Johnson flight case from 2004 - not their largest tuba case - it holds a Conn 52J. About every other time it flies the airlines crack the wheels on it - literally - I end up with half a wheel! Up until now, I just contacted the company and they sent me new wheels - and once new mounting brackets to replace bent ones. But it went a couple of years without flying (breaking wheels) and this time when I contacted them they are unable to help. It seems they redesigned shortly after I bought my case and no longer use anything close - even the mounting method is completely different.

My case has small (maybe 2" diameter) wheels attached with a silver mounting bracket. (Sorry the case isn't with me so I can get a detailed description)

Has anyone solved this problem already? Any suggestions?

Kathy McDonald

Go to McMaster-Carr (http://www.mcmaster.com" target="_blank) and type "casters" in the search box. Then, click on pictures that look like what you have until you get to the point where you can check measurements.

Hint: Walt Johnson (and other flight-case manufacturers) buy casters the same as we do, and probably from McMaster-Carr or a similar source.

Rick "who might consider slightly larger wheels, and maybe neoprene wheels that are less brittle than the phenolic wheels WJ probably used" Denney

Rick,

The Mcmaster site says that the neoprene wheels will not roll as easily as harder wheels. Given the weight of a WJ case, what do you thinnk?

They also have plastic along with the phenolic wheels but I wonder about the 'brittle' factor.

I like the wheels I have but I want bigger wheels to take away the shock my hand gets on sidewald grooves.

bloke wrote:better suggestion: Do this, and ship the tuba to yourself at your destination (a couple of days prior to your departure) via Greyhound Package Express. I've never had them damage *any*thing. Airlines *often* damage luggage and instruments.

I want to offer a hearty endorsement of this plan with one addition: Get your instrument insured first! It costs me about $130 a year for insurance on my tubas through AllState.

The Greyhound insurance (of between $300 & $1000) is hard to collect on if fellow board members are any gauge of experience. So don't waste your money on the insurance or even the "Priority" shipping. Regular shipping got a tuba in a WJ case from Orlando to Dallas in two days.

Alex C wrote:Rick,

The Mcmaster site says that the neoprene wheels will not roll as easily as harder wheels. Given the weight of a WJ case, what do you thinnk?

They also have plastic along with the phenolic wheels but I wonder about the 'brittle' factor.

I like the wheels I have but I want bigger wheels to take away the shock my hand gets on sidewald grooves.

I'd would much rather roll a hard rubber wheel with ball bearings than a phenolic wheel that runs on a plain bushing. And they won't break with impact. They'll roll more quietly. Shopping-cart wheels are usually hard rubber, with a Durometer hardness of about 80 on the Shore D scale. That's much harder than neoprene, if you think neoprene will be too soft.

But the key to easier rolling is a larger diameter. Two inches is pretty darn small and will hang up on a peach pit. I'd like to see four inches or even larger, but whether you can use larger wheels depends on the size of the mounting plate.

Rick "noting that good casters are not cheap" Denney

Over the years I have been able to steal some very good wheels from my kids' old abandoned skateboards. Try your nearest junk shop.