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This question spawns from an encounter student who had not oiled a school’s tuba in months and since it is my instrument I was tasked with fixing the issue. I spent a significant period of time fixing the stuck valve caps. I let some valve oil to sink in to the threads then used a rawhide mallet (requisitioned from the percussion) to tap the caps gently until I could open them by hand using an alto neck strap to get some extra grip (they were a touch slippery after oiling the threads). With the aid of a valve brush I cleaned everything as best I could and the tuba was oiled and returned to working condition. Needless to say, all the brass got a talking to and a demo of how to properly oil their valves in attempt to avoid such an incident in the future.

As an upcoming educator, what are some of the basic tools I will need to address common issues that I might face with brass instruments? The school I was at had no tools at all and their first instinct was to go get plyers from the janitor, which I politely declined. This is not a situation I wish to be caught in again.

Stuck mouthpieces, stuck slides are two big ones.

Mouthpiece puller, some various sized tools for truing bent shanks, and a lot of rubbery shelf lining. If the shelf lining doesn't provide enough grip for a stuck slide, I've had good results with a rag/washcloth fee through the slide as a pull-grip. If that doesn't work, it's time for a tech.

A good mouthpiece puller like the one Ferree's sells is a great start. A small rawhide mallet and various oils and greases are also good. A set of small screwdrivers is also in order.

Instruct students to leave the pistons in the cases when oiling them and pulling them up only until the first port shows. That will prevent them from ever hitting the floor. Kids should also be trained to periodically grease the slides and to push them all the way in and pull them back out at least once a week. A slide that is left out for tuning purposes for months on end and then being shoved all the way in is a recipe for a stuck slide. Teach them how to properly clean an instrument using a dishwashing liquid and brush snake then to apply fresh lube. Any valve oil is better than nothing for pistons. A synthetic grease like 'Super-Lube' for slides is good.

Solder joints will be broken... especially on the cheaper student models. Tape is not a fix. Use zip-ties to hold things together until the instrument can be taken to a competent technician. Simply a wad of paper can temporarily be used to replace a waterkey cork. 'Dad fixes' are the worst!

Maybe also a bottle of this (penetrating oil)?

https://www.ferreestoolsinc.com/product ... 1113797092" target="_blank

That is really a product called Kroil, which Ferree's just bottles up and ships out. Way cheaper to buy if you take out the middle man.

Funny thing, I've used Kroil in the past and I didn't make the connection.....

Anyway, the stuff works like a charm.

ASTuba wrote:That is really a product called Kroil, which Ferree's just bottles up and ships out. Way cheaper to buy if you take out the middle man.

It's even cheaper if you mix acetone and ATF (or MMO) to use a a pentrating fluid.

roweenie wrote:Funny thing, I've used Kroil in the past and I didn't make the connection.....

Anyway, the stuff works like a charm.

Got the MSDS the first time I bought Corrosion Cracker, and it said that it was made by Kroil. I immediately wrote that down and never bought it again from Ferree's.