silver plating removal?

[Rick Denney]

A few other instrumentalists have raw brass horns and nothing is said about it, but a tarnished silver horn is not, in his view, professional. And it's hard when your in the military to tell an officer that an enlisted man disagrees with his assessment, especially when it's over something that can be viewed as trivial.

Are you required to use your personal instrument? If not, then maybe you have your answer.

I should add that I was in Brazil a few weeks ago on an official visit. While traveling as a representative of the U.S. government, my own choices might have been very much constrained by my public responsibilities, had I gone in the with the expectation that my own choices really mattered much.

Rick "life is full of choices" Denney

[Brown Mule]

I agree with Sherman above --------if it blows well and gets the job done, leave it alone.

[JHardisk]

A few other instrumentalists have raw brass horns and nothing is said about it, but a tarnished silver horn is not, in his view, professional. And it's hard when your in the military to tell an officer that an enlisted man disagrees with his assessment, especially when it's over something that can be viewed as trivial.

It might be time to simply use the government provided instrument. Perhaps try to obtain a Lacquered Thor? Don't mess up your own tuba to please Uncle Sam's minions...

(This coming from someone who uses his own axes to play for Uncle Sam, simply because the government provided equipment is just simply not as good)

[Daniel C. Oberloh]

Lots of good suggestions posted.

Stripping a tuba of its plated finish is a huge and costly process. You would be hard pressed to find anyone willing to do it to a tuba that is not already in seriously rough shape. Silver strip an intact tuba? not gonna happen.


I have silver stripped tubas in the past but they were old and beat to crap. I only employ the process when the plating bond has failed over an extensive portion of the instruments surface (lots of blistering and/or peeling) or other factors exist that may prove to create complications with processing and refinishing the instrument

The process I have used, involved a cold electroless method that is pretty nasty. The instruments were taken apart (unsoldered) to avoid the serious hazard of air pockets escaping and splashing or spraying the Tech with acid that will burn the hell out of you.

It was a long time ago but if I remember correctly the strip was a blend of sulfuric acid and potassium nitrate. Wicked brew that fumed quite a bit. I think anderson uses the same process (from the look of parts they have stripped for me).

I am pretty sure the OP will be better off playing the tuba as is or will be willing to find someone else who will be willing to trade.


Daniel C. Oberloh
Oberloh Woodwind and Brass Works
http://www.oberloh.com" target="_blank

[Brown Mule]

Complain to your Congressman. Tell him your commanding officer telling a good tuba player to polish his horn is the equivalent to Water-Boarding .

[Homerun]

Hahaha

I choose to use my horn. We own a PT-6 (brand new, btw), but I simply love to play my Thor. And, I really like the look of raw brass. Again, just a personal preference, and this was just a feeler to see if it could be done. Thank you all for your responses.

However, we don't own an F. I've routed some paperwork to obtain one (but if anyone has ever routed things through the government, you know how long that could take). I am considering trading my Thor for a really nice F, and using the PT-6, since I plan on making a career out of being in the Navy. And I can take it with me throughout my entire career.