Problem with MW 6450/2 Valves

[michaelkeys]

The Valves of My MW 6450/2 sometimes Release really slowly.
My Repairsman told me, that the Valves are too lose, so they wedge/get stuck.
Does anybody know this problem?

[eupher61]

With an instrument such as this, I'd take it to a top notch repair person, who is experienced with highest end tubas. I doubt the valves in that instrument are too loose, the company has too much expertise and too much reputation.. selling something that shoddy would not be good in many ways.

More likely, a dent in the casing or a valve tubing off kilter and binding the casing. Or something else, but not a loose valve.

[Gator]

Try using a heavier viscosity valve oil. Mix some motor oil with lamp oil or use Hetmans #3.

[bisontuba]

With an instrument such as this, I'd take it to a top notch repair person, who is experienced with highest end tubas. I doubt the valves in that instrument are too loose, the company has too much expertise and too much reputation.. selling something that shoddy would not be good in many ways.

More likely, a dent in the casing or a valve tubing off kilter and binding the casing. Or something else, but not a loose valve.

+1--- and I would also send the repair bill for the $25k+tuba to M/W.....
Mark

[Ken Herrick]

A relatively cheap and easily obtainable alternate to the "acid product from Wisconsin" is good old CLR. You can virtually do a chem clean with the stuff. Just plug the tuning slide, use a bit of food wrap under the valve caps to seal there and fill er up. Let soak for a bit then drain, run a snake through and use a bottle brush for valve casing, rinse with water and cello - or is that viola - a clean tooba. Probably best to clean with full strength detergent and snake to get rid of oil and grease and rinse with warm water first.

[jma78]

Have you checked all the braces?
This was the problem on my Thor. There was tension on the brace between the bell and the first valve slide. When the tension was gone the first valve started to move without any problems.

Good luck!

The Valves of My MW 6450/2 sometimes Release really slowly.
My Repairsman told me, that the Valves are too lose, so they wedge/get stuck.
Does anybody know this problem?

[JHardisk]

The valves on my MW 6450/2 suck as well. I wash them weekly, as well as clean the casings. There is no deposit of any kind in them.

Washing them frequently helps quite a bit, as well as frequent oilings with Hetman light piston oil. But, I have not found the cure-all solution.

I've had mine lapped to fit a little better, and changed the valve guides/cleared up the channels that the valve guides slide into. they still are prone to stick. My next step when I have some free cash laying around is to have them nickel plated. I had a set that was nickel plated inserted into my tuba for a bit, and they were the most fantastic valves I'd ever felt. Action was flawless, fast, and smooth!

A very competent master repairman commented about the tendency of monel (which is the claimed material of these valves) being somewhat stringy in nature, due to the difficulty of working with it, as it has a very fast hardening rate. While it is a nickel alloy, it does not have the same smooth characteristics that one might associate with a more pure form of nickel.

But, I claim no real knowledge of metallurgy. I just make wet fart noises into the tube and hope for the best!

[Aaron Tindall]

+1 for what John, and Bloke said. For my 6450 I have been using an old toothbrush and white vinegar to clean/rinse out the valve casings and channels at least once a month. This has made a huge difference in the way the valves work.

I would also encourage everyone to check out the Quick Horn Rinse. It works great and has been invaluable while traveling recently to keep everything clean and working smoothly. Check it out: http://www.quickhornrinse.com" target="_blank

[joh_tuba]

The MW pistons are not monel. They are stainless steel.

Monel is a nickel alloy and was a cost cutting measure on Bach trumpets marketed as an 'improvement'. Other manufacturers quickly followed suit mostly because consumers assume if it's on a high end Bach trumpet it must be good. Prior to that most everything was nickel. Not all monel is created equally... yamaha monel of certain vintages can be especially problematic.

Nothing beats a truly high quality nickel plated valve. Should go without saying that if it's poorly plated the valves will still stink(and the plating might flake off).

If I were king for a day all valves, rotor and piston, would be nickel plated.

[muttenstrudel]

Rotary.