Why isn't my tuba ready yet?

[imperialbari]

Not to add to the time used on that tuba, but I have to admit to a shortcoming in my tech English: I am not sure that I get the point about the soft wire.

Klaus

[The Big Ben]

Not to add to the time used on that tuba, but I have to admit to a shortcoming in my tech English: I am not sure that I get the point about the soft wire.

I'll take the chance of putting my foot in my mouth:

The soft wire is wrapped around the bow and guard to keep the guard down exactly tight for soldering.

[hbcrandy]

Removing, straightening and replacing the guard plates on German, rotary valved tubas are a major pain in the posterior!!! Yes, the soft wire is to hold the guard plate firmly in place while soldering the guard palte into place. However, when you apply heat to the guard plate for the solder, I have had the soft, binding wire expand and allow the plate to rise creating an unwanted space between the plate and the body of the tuba. Another "fun" aspect is when you don't have the guard plate and body of the tuba quite hot enough to accept the solder and the solder runs down the binding wires on the outside of the guard plate making REAL mess to clean.

Bloke, I can sympathize.

[Daniel C. Oberloh]

I do feel your pain Joe. My Nephew Jon is patiently waiting for his Uncle Daniel to complete the work on his 186. Its not his but his school's. It amazes me how beat to total crap these great horns have to get before the powers that be are willing to put up the dough to have them properly repaired. This one had the typical smashed up bell, bottom and top bows, bent up and loose bell wreath, mangled water-key-bow and the all to common click-clackey-clanly rotors and linkage. They actually handed this mess to the boy thinking it was satisfactory (See: Jack ***). It obviously has not been serviced since they got it 30+ years ago. Even though I have no expectation of being compensated by the school for the work and $$$ I am putting into it, I am fixing it up so the boy has a good horn to use through high school. I am a believer in returning loaner horns in better shape then received. Fortunately my Nephew knows to be patient and appreciates his good fortune and my family knows the value of the work I am providing for one that love.

Removing, straightening and replacing the guard plates on German, rotary valved tubas are a major pain in the posterior!!! Yes, the soft wire is to hold the guard plate firmly in place while soldering the guard palte into place. However, when you apply heat to the guard plate for the solder, I have had the soft, binding wire expand and allow the plate to rise creating an unwanted space between the plate and the body of the tuba. Another "fun" aspect is when you don't have the guard plate and body of the tuba quite hot enough to accept the solder and the solder runs down the binding wires on the outside of the guard plate making REAL mess to clean.

The process or restoring the bows and putting the guards back on is time consuming but like all brass work, there are methods and procedures and if the right methods are employed and procedure followed correctly this kind of work is pretty straight forward.







The guards were straightened and reformed to fit the bows that were de-dented and smoothed. The whole process took a full work day. I am sure it is about the same for Joe.

We addressed the valves a few weeks ago but I still need to finish the bell and assemble, polish and lacquer. Its a lot of work. I am with Joe, Bach Styradivarius trumpets and just about anythging else (for that matter) pays much better then tuba overhauls.



Daniel C. Oberloh

Oberloh Woodwind and Brass Works
Saving the world, one horn at a time...

[Dan Schultz]

I've got to chime in here. Yes... those bow guards can be/are a real pain in the posterior to get back on. After a good whack, they are stretched. But... what most folks don't consider is that these guards are often fit poorly from the factory. Notice in Bloke's pictures that there was only a bead of solder around the outside edge of the guard and there was none in the center area of the guard. How much 'air' that was under the guard when it left the factory can often predetermine whether they can even be fit back onto the horn after they are removed.

[oedipoes]

This looks exactly like the ugly dent in my horn... vulnerable spot to these types of horns.
sad

I'm not having it removed until the horn convinced me it's worth it.
Then I have to convince the girlfriend...

[cjk]

[Kevin Hendrick]

I want my tuba finished NOW!!!

For some reason, I'm envisioning the "medical use" of a 6/4 tuba as a suppository ... can't imagine why ...