Sousaphone Grime Gutter

[Bill Troiano]

For all of you playing a lot of sousaphone, do you know of, or have you rigged up anything that serves as a grime gutter, like you would see on euphoniums to catch the (dirty) water and oil coming out the bottom of the valves? I've been playing a lot of sousaphone lately and ruining a lot of shirts with the water shooting out the bottom of the valves and onto my shirts. Any ideas? Thanks!

[imperialbari]

Pull a sock over the bottom of the valve block. Not too tightly knitted, so that the air isn’t compressed in the bottom of the piston casings.

Klaus

[Walter Webb]

Affix a nice little dishrag under there. I have a Sousaphone that pisses on my right thigh. Makes me look like a leaky old duffer.

[tofu]

A disposable latex glove works really well.

Edit - Oops - typing too fast - I meant to say Nitrile gloves - not latex.

[PMeuph]

Pull a sock over the bottom of the the valve block. Not too tightly knitted, so that the air isn’t compressed in the bottom of the piston casings.

Klaus

+1

Finally a use for those socks that had become 'orphans'.

[Bill Troiano]

Hi Klaus!!

The sock idea sounds good.I've tried rags, but they fall off and look pretty sloppy. I was going to get a piece of pipe insulation, cut it to about 6 in. and try and stick that around the bottom, so the water hits it and falls downward. I have a 4 hour gig beginning in an hour. I cut a plastic hair spray bottle down the middle and I was going to try and clasp that on. It seems very flimsy however. I'll bring some socks. If I run out due to excessive moisture build up, I can take the ones from my feet.

Still somebody should invent a sousaphone grime gutter.

[PaulMaybery]

I brainstorm just blew in!!! Depending on the design of the bottom valve caps (are they pretty flat at the vent hole or maybe slightly domed?) there is a simple trick. At ACE Hardware are small brass "knurled" nuts of various thread sizes (though the tread size is of no significance whatsoever.) These happen to have an "hourglass" shape to them. Just solder one each over the bottom valve cap hole - aligning the tread hole with the vent hole in the cap. That alignment is important.

The gutter can attach via the narrow section of the nut similar to factory made versions. You will need to figure the size and spacing on the holes.
(not rocket science) A drill press would be helpful for accuracy but a steady hand could maneuver a hand drill. The hole should have two parts to it, A larger section to fit over the nut, and a smaller one that will snug around the "waist" of the nut when the gutter is slid into place.

Next step is to fashion the gutter to slip on those little nipples. A short piece of tubing - PVC, Copper, Brass, or an old tuning slide leg will work.
End plugs could be fashioned from wine corks for economy or Gemeinhardt flute crowns are much prettier if you can order a piece of tubing to match them. (though who will see them) Some plumbing pipes have end caps. But back to ACE - they do have nice black rubber stoppers in various sizes.

Granted an old sock or something similar will get the job done, but hey! tuba players deserve "serious" gear.

If you want the thing to look silver, there are several silver plate products out there that rub on and give a nice finish. The "caveat" - it is not a very thick finish and on areas of constant contact it will wear.

Paul (who actually never really made one of these "gizmos" but likes to pontificate) Maybery

[Z-Tuba Dude]

Hi Bill,

What I have been doing recently, is to use a Glad sandwich bag, sheet of paper towel, and a rubber band.

I fold the paper towel sheet often enough, to make an absorbent "pad" to fit under the valves. I then take the sandwich baggie, and hike it up over the bottom half of the valves, and then secure it with the rubber band. It not only absorbs, but makes SURE there is no leakage onto your shirt!

The only thing I have discovered is that you have to make sure that the paper towel does not close off the bottom holes. When the towel is wet, the vacuum created can slow down the valve action.

I wonder why some horns leak more than others?

Regards,

Larry Z.

[PaulMaybery]

This may be more helpful in understanding the dynamics of what is happening rather than what will actually remedy the situation.

Valves will leak water for the same reason that they leak air. They simply get worn. However gravity and the fact that on a Sousaphone the valves are in an upright orientation add to the problem. A lubricant with a slightly greater viscosity will help the compression by sealing or lessening the tolerance between the valve and the casing. There are a number of products out their. But this will rarely be a 100% solution. And we do know that a thicker oil translates to a slower valve. Why is there always a "trade off?"

I know this might seem a bit extreme or akin to splitting hairs, but one product on the market has claims that it inhibits (not prevents) water from migrating down the surface of the valve and accumulating at and exiting from the bottom valve cap.

It is called "Tech Oil" and is available on line. A google search will turn up a website for it.

I happen to use it and like that it does not evaporate. (It can last effectively for nearly a month) However, there is a trick involved in that after you put some of it on the valve surface, it is necessary to work the valve up and down for quite some time which somehow adjusts the viscosity. Just a little too much oil will give a sluggish effect, but its does definitely break in. This product, like 'Post It Notes' was developed by a 3M scientist (a trumpet player) for another purpose and it just happened to be great on valves. Funny how those things work out.

It also seems as though older generation tubas, where the valves were plated rather than stainless, have worn quite a bit and hence that "seepage."

On a good day in a perfect world there is a solution to everything. But okay, there is often a good day now and then, but there is no perfect world.

Hoping you have many of those "good days."

PM

[DHMTuba]

Folded washcloth attached to the valve block by a thick rubber band works fine for me.

[Bill Troiano]

Hi all !! Thanks for all of the ideas. I can't get to technical here because I'm not a techy type person. Klaus' idea worked just great. I used 2 low cut white sweat socks. I used one and after 2 hours, I switched it out with the other sock. They were both damp when I finished and no moisture got on my clothes. Thanks, Klaus. Next time, I'll use my black low cut socks for a more formal look.

[dave_matheson]

Three small balloons ... each one attached to the bottom of a valve

[imperialbari]

Very few socks have a significant content of sulphur. At least if they are clean.

Sulphur and brass is a dubious combination. Not that the harm to the sulphur component is our main concern.

Latex gloves and balloons, what about their contents of sulphur?

Klaus

[tofu]

Latex gloves and balloons, what about their contents of sulphur?

Klaus

I actually use sulphor-free nitrile gloves - not latex - it's a tip I picked up from Lee Stofer as nitrile is what he uses.