Any ideas on creating a mouthpiece warmer?

[Dutchtown Sousa]

In preparation for next year's marching band season I have decided I need to figure out a way to keep mouthpieces warm and ready to play between each song or after our 3rd quarter break. I know someone will say "hold the mouthpiece in your hands but that doesn't really work to well when your hands are freezing also. As many know water transfers heat more effectively than air, and I did a test for my science fair (which was about how the temperature and material of a mouthpiece affected the intonation of a player, and really had no conclusive results) and found that placing a brass mouthpiece in slightly hot water (about 100-115 degrees F) caused it to warm in about 10-15 seconds (almost too warm actually). So my idea is to make something almost like a thermos to hold moderately warm water in, but it has to be able to fit a mouthpiece inside and must be able to keep the water warm for several hours. What I need ideas on is what materials to use. I'm thinking of taking a PVC pipe and putting at least one layer of pipe insulation around it then a larger PVC pipe over that, seal up the crevices with a waterproof caulking (silicone?). Not sure how to cap the ends and someone might know of better materials to use. I also need to figure out how to make it easy to carry around. Hang it from the thumb ring then remove it in the stands maybe?

[imperialbari]

Kellyberg or


Not both.

[Dutchtown Sousa]

I honestly can't say I am a fan of my Kellyberg paired with our school owned Yamaha sousaphones. I have not tried the lead tape around the cup trick (can't find the stuff near me for some reason) but I'm not sure if it would really help my problem as much as I need it to. My concern with the mouthpiece is that it doesn't have enough weight to it and the rim just buzzes with my lips drastically decreasing volume (maybe lead tape around the rim would work but I don't like the idea of lead being that close to my mouth). Other problem is that I just don't like the feel of the mouthpiece as much as a metal mouthpiece

[Biggs]

I was going to make light of you for this topic, but then it became obvious that I, by virtue of my compulsion to reply, am far, far stupider.

Anyway, most pairs of pants have at least two mouthpiece warmers sewn onto them at the factory.

[imperialbari]

Hand warmers (if this isn't a troll) is probably the best solution other than an acrylic mouthpiece, but seriously...

when we're talking about a "Yamaha sousaphone" (or even a *good* sousaphone) does Kellyberg-vs-anything-else really matter that much?

I don’t think the hand warmers are part of some trolling. I have seen them, albeit in the context of winter transportation of reptiles. The samples I saw looked like small ice-cube bags. They hardened when cooling. To activate the heating they had to be bend the break the hardness.

I wrote Kellyberg in my first posting, but actually I meant Kelly 18.

I prefer heavy mouthpieces myself. As I have no lathe, I have found a working (but not beautiful) workaround. From a 1/2" garden hose I cut 4 or 5mm wide rings. I push such ring over the stem of a given mouthpiece. All the way up to the cup or as far as the decorative turning allows for. Then I screw a 20mm over that piece of garden hose. Depending on the mouthpiece and on the receiver of the given instrument I may put on two pieces of hose and two nuts.

Klaus

[PMeuph]

Dutchtown Sousa,
Go to a ski shop and ask about hand warmers. (Or just google it)

I'll second the hand warmers, you could probably get the reusable ones.

Something like this....
http://www.amazon.com/Prism-Technologie ... B000C9DCG8" target="_blank

The problem with hand warmers is that it is something more that you have to attach to your horn and it will, most likely, be cumbersome at some point.

Personally, I have used the kelly mouthpieces, and the old mouthpiece in the hand trick. Both have worked fine. Actually the thing I find peculiar about kelly is that the cool time is much longer, so if you have a long break from playing the mouthpiece might still be warm....

[Oyba]

If it's really cold I use re-usable handwarmers stored in my pockets. But why does your warmer need to be attached to the horn? Can't you just put your mouthpiece in a pocket between pieces if the gap is long enough for the mouthpiece to get uncomfortably cold?

[cjk]

add a pocket to your uniform or the shirt you wear underneath. It will be less cumbersome than having another gadget. You could attach a mouthpiece pouch of some sort to your suspenders. Some pouches actually have belt loops.

Keep in mind that you'll get the fluid in the thermos on your hands when you get it out. That won't help keep you warm.

[Dutchtown Sousa]

Pockets would work if I could access them but our uniforms prevent us from doing that and I'm pretty sure the band moms wouldn't be happy with anything sewn onto our bibbers (and we still wouldn't be able to access them with our jackets on). Reusable hand warmers also wouldn't be the greatest idea, because (reading through the reviews) they usually only stay warm for about 30 minutes then you have to boil them in water for 15 minutes and let cool for 15 minutes. Don't really think that would work to well bringing a propane stove to the stands so we can boil our hand warmers. The disposable ones could work potentially if I can get them for cheap (gotta provide at least one for every game for each player, which is estimated to be between 8 and 12 next year) or just get everyone Zippo hand warmers. Thanks for the ideas. Now what is the best way to keep valves from freezing? Tape a hand warmer to the valve section?

[jamsav]

I think we're all gettin our collective chain yanked....buy athletic supporter, remove cup, replace with mouthpiece- you're in business ! Dont bump into the flute player !

[Dutchtown Sousa]

I think we're all gettin our collective chain yanked....buy athletic supporter, remove cup, replace with mouthpiece- you're in business ! Dont bump into the flute player !

Not a bad idea. No random humpings in celebration though. That is a downside

[MikeW]

For this application, you get fewer side effects if you wear the jock-strap under your armpit.

Freezing valves:

Lubricate the valves with absolute alcohol. This will often keep them working for a while down to about -10C, but the alcohol gets diluted by condensation, so they freeze up eventually. At about -20C ("Winterfest" in Saskatoon) no matter what you do your valves are going to freeze up in the middle of the second march. At -7C (Carols, Vancouver) you may last half an hour or so.

Don't use lab grade alcohol, it usually contains carried-over drying agents like benzene - nasty stuff.

[ghmerrill]

Combining this with another recent thread concerning air-assist devices for tuba players, I see a six-pack (or more) of catalytic hand warmers (typically less than $15 each at standard retail) affixed to the humidifier of a CPAP machine with a hose adapter (in place of the mask) that fits over a tuba mouthpiece and provides a continuous stream of correctly humidified air through the entire instrument. No more problems with cold mouthpieces or intonation because of instrument temperature. Note also that CPAP machines will run off batteries -- so AC current is not necessary. The catalytic hand warmers run a good long time on one charge of fuel, but you would probably want to insulate the device in some manner -- in addition quite definitely to insulating the hose. An added improvement would be to engineer the adapter so the whole affair would work as an air-assist device as well -- thus solving two significant problems plaguing tubists for over a century. Once in production, and with the anticipated market, surely the cost of the parts would come down substantially. Not very portable, but a whiz-bang solution for players who don't have to march -- or who are sitting around waiting to march. The same multiple hand warmer approach can be used (together with a rather obvious application of vet wrap) to keep a valve section warm.

I'm sure this innovative methodology would be a huge success, but the weather is warming up and in 80-degree (F) weather, I have absolutely no motivation to construct a prototype; and I also have to go fishing. If you think the idea is too complicated you could always retreat to the hand-warmer-in-pocket-with-mouthpiece idea, which I can tell you definitely does work.

[cambrook]

I don't have to stand outside in the cold waiting to play, but if I did I'd look at having a delrin (or polycarbonate) rim on a screw-rim mouthpiece.

I've not tried his mouthpieces, but I know Doug Elliot makes Lexan rims. You might also ask Dave Houser about making a delrin rim to fit one of his models.

[Ken Herrick]

Hey Cam,
I would have thought you'd be more likely to need a mouthpiec COOLER. Keep it in the Esky with a slab of tinnies on ice and convert one of those pedal operated air pumps to keep some hydrating fluids flowing from the minikeg.

[ghmerrill]

I've not tried his mouthpieces, but I know Doug Elliot makes Lexan rims.

I have one of Doug's for my euphonium and like it very much. When I do have to play outdoors in the frigid (???) NC winters, I use a Kelly on the tuba. It is the least expensive solution and I rather like the Kelly mouthpieces (and prefer the Kellyberg to a real 120S). I used one for Xmas concerts this past year.

Let's be honest. Even if you think the Kelly isn't ideal for you, playing in those temps isn't ideal either -- and what the mouthpiece contributes to the sound will be the least of your worries. Finding some other much more expensive and ultimately less satisfactory solution just doesn't seem worth the trouble. In addition to not getting too cold, the plastic mouthpieces also don't get too hot. All for $30 or less. And in decorator colors. Really hard to beat.

Another consideration for any kind of mouthpiece warmer: If you are in a band (high school? college?) and must wear a uniform while playing, then you probably already know that most uniforms don't provide a lot of places to stash anything like a hand warmer of any kind. The uniforms I've worn (long ago, to be sure) had NO pants pockets, NO outside jacket pockets, and only one small inside jacket pocket. So unless you can stash something in your hat, you're out of luck.

[ppalan]

... a delrin (or polycarbonate) rim on a screw-rim mouthpiece.
... ask Dave Houser about making a delrin rim to fit one of his models.

++1
or try one he already makes.

Pete

[Dutchtown Sousa]

I have talked with David Houser about lexan rims and he quoted me about $20. That might be a good solution, although I could just slide a hand warmer into my glove if needed