Plating prep question
Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 8:25 am
Would rather embarrass myself asking this here than at my local platers so here goes...
If I want to silver plate my tuba but only really want the bell & larger branches plated is it practical (read: Cheaper) to separate the horn into two parts and plate the required parts and then reassemble? Or is going to cost as much to mess about trying to take a horn in half and put it back together again..?
If it's any use, there are 7 stays to unsolder plus the leadpipe and 1 ferule between the mid-branches.
The tuba has no dents but obviously would need a thorough buff & polish before plating.
I naively figure the valve section and smaller bows would be the most fiddly to prepare for plating??
The valve slide legs are nickel silver so once I got the slide bows and valve top/bottom caps plated it would be mostly plated.
Quick separate question for those in the know:
How are branches numbered? Is the smallest branch the 1st branch and so on?
Thanks all,
MP
If I want to silver plate my tuba but only really want the bell & larger branches plated is it practical (read: Cheaper) to separate the horn into two parts and plate the required parts and then reassemble? Or is going to cost as much to mess about trying to take a horn in half and put it back together again..?
If it's any use, there are 7 stays to unsolder plus the leadpipe and 1 ferule between the mid-branches.
The tuba has no dents but obviously would need a thorough buff & polish before plating.
I naively figure the valve section and smaller bows would be the most fiddly to prepare for plating??
The valve slide legs are nickel silver so once I got the slide bows and valve top/bottom caps plated it would be mostly plated.
Quick separate question for those in the know:
How are branches numbered? Is the smallest branch the 1st branch and so on?
Thanks all,
MP