Hi,
I will be making a move back to Wisconsin from New Mexico in a couple of weeks and would prefer not to have my instruments go with moving company. I just don't really imagine the greatest care will be taken plus our stuff will be stored for a couple of months with access being very difficult if I need something, so...
There will only be so much room in our two cars and I have a host of wooden instruments that will be in there. My question is:
Is it safe to transport brass instruments (sousaphone, two baritones, and a tenor sax) in pod above car in cold temps (possible freezing)?
None have been played in over a year and being in Santa Fe, I would assume that all moisture that might expand in cold would be long evaporated.
The two horns I use regularly will have to go in car I suppose as I wouldn't want moisture to freeze and they won't fit in pod anyway.
Whaddya y'all think?
Craig
Cold weather transport of brass instruments
- kegmcnabb
- 3 valves
- Posts: 432
- Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2004 10:33 pm
- Location: Moving back to WI from NM! What am I thinking?
- MaryAnn
- Occasionally Visiting Pipsqueak
- Posts: 3217
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 9:58 am
Re: Cold weather transport of brass instruments
If I were in your circumstance the wooden instruments would be in the car with me and any brass that was dry I would consider safe in the cold. Maybe remove the slides and pack separately.
-
- 3 valves
- Posts: 365
- Joined: Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:55 am
- Location: Probably goofing off at work - in Chapel Hill, NC
- Contact:
Re: Cold weather transport of brass instruments
Cold isn't bad for brass instruments.
Just make sure you empty out the 'spit' valves before putting them up there. Water/condensation is only a little bit of a concern for them. If you haven't played them for over a year, I agree that they're probably bone dry already.
You're right to put the wooden instruments in your car. Try to keep them with you when you stop for the night to keep from experiencing too much temperature or humidity changes during the trip. It'd be a shame to have one crack from an overnight temperature swing during your trip.
I don't know much about tenor sax pads, but you might need to re-glue some pads on if they get too cold. That's the only issue I can think of.
Remember - Most of these instruments see big temperature changes for marching band this time of year. Stored in a heated building, then marched in cold (sometimes extremely cold) conditions just a few minutes after they get pulled from their cases.
Just make sure you empty out the 'spit' valves before putting them up there. Water/condensation is only a little bit of a concern for them. If you haven't played them for over a year, I agree that they're probably bone dry already.
You're right to put the wooden instruments in your car. Try to keep them with you when you stop for the night to keep from experiencing too much temperature or humidity changes during the trip. It'd be a shame to have one crack from an overnight temperature swing during your trip.
I don't know much about tenor sax pads, but you might need to re-glue some pads on if they get too cold. That's the only issue I can think of.
Remember - Most of these instruments see big temperature changes for marching band this time of year. Stored in a heated building, then marched in cold (sometimes extremely cold) conditions just a few minutes after they get pulled from their cases.
BBb Tuba with 4 Rotors -
TE-2110 (2009) + TE Rose
Mack 210 (2011) + Bruno Tilz NEA 310 M0
G. Schneider (Made in GDR, 1981?) + Conn Helleberg 120S
I earn my living as an Electrical Engineer - Designing Power systems for buildings
TE-2110 (2009) + TE Rose
Mack 210 (2011) + Bruno Tilz NEA 310 M0
G. Schneider (Made in GDR, 1981?) + Conn Helleberg 120S
I earn my living as an Electrical Engineer - Designing Power systems for buildings
-
- 3 valves
- Posts: 276
- Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 4:42 pm
- Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Re: Cold weather transport of brass instruments
I woun't bother removing valves or slides, if the instrument is dry and lubricated. Brass and monel have almost same temperatur expansion coefficients, so they grow/shrink the same amount in warm/cold weather.bloke wrote: If a brass instrument is subject to extremely cold temperatures, I might be tempted to remove the pistons and/or rotors.
Yamaha YEB-321 Eb 4v TA tuba
Meinl-Weston 2141 Eb 5v FA tuba
Hirsbrunner Bb 3v TA compensated euph
Wessex Dolce Bb 3+1v TA compensated euph
Alto/tenor/bass trombones in various sizes/plugs
Meinl-Weston 2141 Eb 5v FA tuba
Hirsbrunner Bb 3v TA compensated euph
Wessex Dolce Bb 3+1v TA compensated euph
Alto/tenor/bass trombones in various sizes/plugs
-
- bugler
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2018 4:23 pm
Re: Cold weather transport of brass instruments
I transport wooden instruments in an otherwise empty picnic cooler, having "bottled" the room ambient on departure. It's an extra step to buffer against temp/humidity extremes. Cars don't have even HVAC circulation - heater vents you normally don't think about such as those for the back seats can inadvertently create hotspots while you're trying to keep your toesies from freezing up front. Put the cooler on a seat and in the middle, away from drafty doors. And yes, definitely take inside for overnights, cold or hot.
Brass? I agree with the others' advice, and like bloke I wouldn't worry about much beyond the valves, and then only in super-cold. We're not talking about house plumbing here. Unless you're an impossibly "moist" player, any condensate will not be filling the tubing enough to expand to the point of causing trouble. (However, I would personally make it a point to pull & drain valve slides on a French horn before departure. I swear that FHs are miniature stills. At least when I play 'em. )
Brass? I agree with the others' advice, and like bloke I wouldn't worry about much beyond the valves, and then only in super-cold. We're not talking about house plumbing here. Unless you're an impossibly "moist" player, any condensate will not be filling the tubing enough to expand to the point of causing trouble. (However, I would personally make it a point to pull & drain valve slides on a French horn before departure. I swear that FHs are miniature stills. At least when I play 'em. )
Miraphone 191 4-valve
1925 Conn 28J
Cerveny CEP 531-4M
Fox 880 "Sayen" (oops... that's an oboe)
1925 Conn 28J
Cerveny CEP 531-4M
Fox 880 "Sayen" (oops... that's an oboe)
- ronr
- bugler
- Posts: 125
- Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2015 12:05 am
- Location: Minneapolis
Re: Cold weather transport of brass instruments
If it’s cold enough you could do a little do-it-yourself cryogenics...
-
- lurker
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2018 8:40 am
- Location: Slinger, WI
Re: Cold weather transport of brass instruments
Back when I played for a larger band, my tuba would stay in their trailer, only coming out to go on stage. That being said, immediately when we finished each gig I would try and remember to drain the slides (that didn't always happen) and the horn went right into the case and into the trailer. I traveled and played most of the midwest with that band for about 6 years, and I never experienced any issues whatsoever with my horn. It's a 1938 Martin 4 valve "monster", if that matters any.
"Knowledge without practice makes but half an artist"
1938 Martin BAT
Conn 10J
Meinl Weston
1938 Martin BAT
Conn 10J
Meinl Weston
- bort
- 6 valves
- Posts: 11223
- Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:08 pm
- Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Re: Cold weather transport of brass instruments
Pack the entire tuba with dry ice -- inside the tuba, inside the case, everywhere you possibly can. Then, when you go outside in the 20-degree weather, your tuba will actually be warming up, not cooling off.
Is dry ice safe for tubas? Uuhhh..... you didn't ask that.
Is dry ice safe for tubas? Uuhhh..... you didn't ask that.