Cleaning Tubas

[TubadudeCA]

HI All,

I have an 1896 Henry Distin silver plated Eb tuba. It has a nice Petina but I would really like to clean it up and let that silver really pop. From the books I have it isn't a particularly collectible model, but it is one of the most preferred players.( It truly is an amazing player, and there is so little valve wear for being as old as it is) I just have two questions:

1. Should I just leave it alone and let it sit in it's petina'd glory?

2. If I do clean it, what is the best method for cleaning silver plating? I know a collector friend of mine has some kind of chemical bath he uses that smells sort of like bad eggs.

Any advice or recommendations are appreciated!

[opus37]

I also use tarnishield. My Martin takes a whole bottle. I apply as directed, let it set for a few minutes then take it in the shower to rinse it off. Then I wipe it down with a soft cloth. This treatment lasts about 5 years. The went done horn glows in the dark.

[Conn 2J CC]

Although it would add more time to your project, I've had really good results using Chroma 5000 (an automotive finish product) to remove tarnish and brighten silver. I then follow it with two coats of 3M Tarni-Shield for Silver (I fully agree with KiltiTuba and opus37 - it's a great product). I've used these on several Flutes and Trumpets.

My wife and I also used them on her old Baritone Sax. Our Bari has a frosted silver body which was heavily oxidized, and polished silver keys and trim which were heavily tarnished. The Chroma 5000 cleaned both types of silver great, and the Tarni-Shield gave the horn a beautiful, mirror-like shine that protected it for eight years before we took it back apart and re-polished it last summer. It only required some occasional touchup with a silver polishing cloth during those eight years. And believe me, I'm REALLY glad we haven't had to take that horn apart every few months to re-polish it, just to keep it looking good. Here's a couple of pictures of it for proof, and encouragement to you -

http://http://www.mediafire.com/i/?4vibu98vk8u7195
http://http://www.mediafire.com/i/?ry1enhzymqhtg24

Again, it would take time to do this to your horn, but you might be really glad you did. Best of luck -

[MikeW]

I googled "silver tarnish removal"; several sites offer advice.

The theory behind the dip-tank thing is simple kitchen-sink chemistry.
This method works for items made of, or plated with, metallic silver, but not for nickel, chromium, stainless steel etc.

• remove any wax or other protective film
• wash the item with soapy water, and rinse
• place some aluminum (foil will do) in a bowl or tank
• stand the silver or silver-plated item on the aluminum (must be in electrical contact)
• fill the tank with a hot solution of washing soda (sodium carbonate), using a cup of soda per gallon of water.
• let it stand until the tarnish is gone
• rinse, dry, apply some kind of wax or sealant to prevent further tarnishing

A chemical reaction occurs that converts the tarnish back into metallic silver, and blackens the aluminum. For heavy tarnish, you may have to change the aluminum, and/or reheat the washing soda solution.

This method is fast and easy for cleaning small items like flatware or tableware, and cleans the item without removing any of the silver. It would be a quick way to clean up detachable parts like slides and valve caps, but scaling up to clean the main body of the tuba would be a challenge; for that, the other methods described in this thread would probably be easier.

[Ken Herrick]

For the initial cleaning "TarnX" is a fairly easy way to go. Use a spray bottle to apply it and give it a few minutes to work then rinse off with water. It will do the bulk of the cleaning. Then you can finish off with something like the Haggerty's polish or tarnishshield.

The bath with foil and bicarb soda will work, but a cleaning a tuba requires a fair amount of the two. One plus is that you can clean the inside at the same time.

[SousaSaver]

http://sousacentral.blogspot.com/2011/0 ... ilver.html

Here is what I do with tarnished instruments. Following the tarn-x, I perform repairs then polish the instrument with 3M Tarnishield. When you are done using the tarnishield, it's my opinion that you shouldn't wash it off. The polish has a built in tarnish preventive and you don't want to wash it off, just make sure to give it a good buffing with a soft clean cloth.

A few notes - when using baking soda as a cleaner, make 100% sure you get it all cleaned out. Any left over can cause problems. Also, make sure to use the Tarn-x in a well ventilated area and wear gloves.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

[TubadudeCA]

Thanks for the help everyone!! I'll be making a run to get some Tarni-Shield in the next few days. Once I get around to devoting some solid time to it I'll post some before and after photos. Thanks all!

[Lingon]

...using a cup of soda per gallon of water...

Just a small question as I am in Europe... How many milliliter or centiliter is a cup?

Did some experimentation, seems to work...

How many gallons to fill the bathtub?!

[PMeuph]

...using a cup of soda per gallon of water...

Just a small question as I am in Europe... How many milliliter or centiliter is a cup?


How many gallons to fill the bathtub?!

a US cup is 236ml and a metric cup is 250 ml.

a bathtub should hold around 40 gallons or so, depending on the size....

[Lingon]

...a US cup is 236ml and a metric cup is 250 ml.

a bathtub should hold around 40 gallons or so, depending on the size....

Thanks, now that might be good for a tuba then...