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MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I am repairing several cracks in a Conn 36 fiberglass sousa bell. I figure the outer 10" is plastic. I will clean out several cracks then bond with a 2 part epoxy - maybe JB Weld. Any certain glue choice or hints? I'd love to get it right on the first try. Also a good primer for the bonding coat? I'll be painting the entire horn.

Thanks,
Tim Jackson

When I bought my fiberglass Selmer Signet years ago, it had some ugly honey-colored fiberglass repair work done to it. Someone had actually used real cloth and honey-colored epoxy resin to repair a couple of the large ferrules. It looked real ugly against the rest of the white horn, so I touched up the repairs with extra epoxy, sanded it, then spray painted it. I have since spray painted the whole horn a metallic 'silver' color over the old white spray paint. It looks much better than before, but I still have to touch it up if something/someone bumps into it hard enough.

I think most any 2-part epoxy should work well; just make sure you mix it evenly and well. And after you have applied it and let it completely dry and harden (it should be as hard as tough plastic when cured), then lightly sand it, then go over it with a spray paint of your choice, in a sweeping motion. If you have large cracks, you may want to actually use epoxy AND cloth for extra durability
But just the 2-part epoxy is probably fine for smaller cracks/chips.

In my opinion, here’s a great chance to upgrade to a brass bell https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 4171892344" target="_blank

That’s $100 less than what I paid for my 26K bell I use on my 36K body and love the added brightness.

Hop over to my Instagram @theryanhallway to see some closeups of the custom motorcycle finish and flipped first valve slide. It’s my favorite workhorse horn.

The garden tuba up for bell repair was found on FB marketplace. Luckily, a friend of mine commutes once a week through the small town in Alabama where the horn was located. I really didn't want to drive 2 hours for a contrabass planter. Yes, a $400 brass bell would be great on any fiber sousa, but I'm mainly into this one for another faux paint project. You can't see the cracks, but I will take extra care to insure a good glue joint. Although it's hard not to use epoxy... I'm taking the advice offered - I have the clear primer and PVC glue ready to go!

another fibersousa!

TJ

Joe,
The brass bell that you use with your 36k,it should also fit a 14K?
Are there different different models of Buescher sousaphones?
Or are they all the same male tenon size?

Thank you, Dave Hayami

Joe,
Thank you,
D Hayami