What year Quarters to solder on?

[MartyNeilan]

A long time ago, I heard something like "only quarters made before 19xx" can be soldered on to instruments, because they changed the type of metal in them. Is there any truth to this, and does anyone remember the magic year?

Marty "Who wishes his 6th valve trigger was just a little longer" Neilan

[Joe Baker]

I don't know about the outer layer of metal, but there's copper VERY close to the surface. If you just grind off the outer layer, you'll be soldering copper -- which, I understand, solder adheres to pretty well .
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Joe Baker, who is also interested in the real answer to this question.

[Chuck(G)]

I don't know about the outer layer of metal, but there's copper VERY close to the surface. If you just grind off the outer layer, you'll be soldering copper -- which, I understand, solder adheres to pretty well .
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Joe Baker, who is also interested in the real answer to this question.

The top layer is nickel on the faux-quarters made after 1968. Nowadays we even have faux-pennies, with basically are a thin copper overlay on a zinc core. Which explains why they sound like they're made out of polystyrene when dropped on a hard surface.

I wonder if you could solder these on?



or, if you wanted to be extravagant:

[Tubaryan12]

Just get all of the grease, dirt, and oils off of the paddles and the coins and use 5 min. epoxy.

[Chuck(G)]

Here is a Deutchemark. This is the "pretty" side. It is about the size of a U.S. quarter dollar. These fit Miraphone, Rudolf Meinl, and Meinl-Weston spatulas quite well. They are a nickel allow, and some vintages have prettier and more ornate birds (than this one) on them:

Anyone remember when a DM had about the same value as a US quarter? (Made for easy currency conversion, since as Joe says, they're basically the same size).

[tubamirum]

Use coins from a significant date, i e birthday, anniversary etc, they will all solder o k. Have fun and be creative. The person who said clean and oil free was correct.

[IkeH]

Funny, I've just been talking to the trombonist in our quiintet, who's married to a Czech lady, about putting some Czech coins on my piggy's paddles. I have an older one with the curved spatulas that my fingers keep slipping off of. He mentioned something about having some nice looking coins that had a dark border and copper center that would look good on it. Anyone else know of some that would work well?

[cjk]

All the german coins are great but I believe Marty's tuba was made in Czechoslovakia.

[Chuck(G)]

All the german coins are great but I believe Marty's tuba was made in Czechoslovakia.

Then I'd guess he'd want to get hold of a bunch of these:


Or maybe some of these:

[Tom]

All the german coins are great but I believe Marty's tuba was made in Czechoslovakia.

Then I'd guess he'd want to get hold of a bunch of these:


Or maybe some of these:

Those aren't as easy to get these days...

The Czech Republic joined the European Union less than a year ago, but the conversion to Euros is already underway from what I understand. They were still using koruna when I was there last April and May.

[bttmbow]

On my B&S F tubas (that I used to own), I had 100 peso coins soldered on. I found that the thickness/weight of the coin added something to the feel of the valve action. Plus, they're unlaquered brass.

Make sure the beard of V. Carranza is on the up side!!

If anyone else does this, drop me a p.m.
CJH