TubeNet

A tubenetter asked how much to get a tuba silver plated. I was wondering as much myself. The thread answered my question. But has raised a new one.
What is involved and approximately how much does it cost to have a tuba re-lacquered?

Here is whats involved:

- COMPLETELY strip the lacquer
- polish and respray ( LOTS of hand ragging)

That is just to respray. This doesn't involve any other work that the horn might need.

It is pretty costly to do this because it is labor intensive. Even more so on old Kings because the lacquer is very tough.

I would expect the prep work to have a tuba re-lacquered would be roughly the same effort as the prep work for silver plating. Therefore, I would expect the overall cost of re-lacquering to be very nearly the same as silver plating.

I am assuming you are looking for a complete lacquer job, not just spot relacquering....

BRSousa wrote:.... It is pretty costly to do this because it is labor intensive. Even more so on old Kings because the lacquer is very tough.

Next time you need to remove that old 'Eastlake Orange' (King) lacquer.... just use 'Easy-Off Oven Cleaner'. The caustic will do the trick. Spray it on... wait just a couple of minutes... and hose it off. If you leave it on too long, it will turn the brass dark. But... the dark will buff right off.

Last time I refinished a bell I used aircraft stripper, which was very caustic but got the job done.

BRSousa wrote:Last time I refinished a bell I used aircraft stripper, which was very caustic but got the job done.

Aircraft Brand stripper is not a caustic. It contains methylene chloride.... which will take off most lacquers. But... not the dreaded 'Eastlake Orange' stuff.

Aircraft Stripper... http://www.wmbarr.com/ProductFiles/A3900.2.pdf

'Easy-Off' contains sodium hydroxide... http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cg ... d=18001004

Funny, but 'Easy-Off' won't touch lacquer.