Stripping King Lacquer- project done

[Dan Schultz]

All the above posts regarding the use of EZ-Off Oven Cleaner are accurate.

One additional thing though.... IF any areas of the horn have ever had a torch applied to them.... the 'Eastlake Orange' lacquer on those spots will be like glass and even the oven cleaner won't touch them.

So... if you plan to take the horn apart for dent work.... strip the horn FIRST.

[Dan Schultz]

BRAVO!

[Tom Coffey]

I liked it the way it was. Here in Cleveland, we call that "Eastlake Orange," named for the locale of the King factory. I always have been partial to that lacquer.
Nice work, though.

[Donn]

Can you send your tuba to the "King" factory for a new coat of Eastlake orange?

Honestly I detest the color, but might feel different if I'd seen it a lot new out of the factory. There aren't many lacquers that look good old, but the dark sullen glare of that orange against the dull greyish brass where the lacquer is gone, it's ghastly.

[Bob Kolada]

How about a fifth valve while you're at it?

[Donn]

The standard butt-of-humor euphonium mod is a spring loaded valve slide, isn't it?

[Michael Bush]

Impressive.

[Rick F]

Wow Mark, that looks quite good! Congrats.

[hup_d_dup]

that's actually a stock feature on these horns, but mine is missing the spring. They put it on the 3rd valve slide, where it's only useful for certain notes.

The 4th valve has an extra long slide tube. I think the idea is that along with the the 3rd valve adjustable slide you are fully chromatic down to the pedals. I haven't tried this so I don't know what position the 4th slide has to be in, or if there are multiple positions that work with various 3rd slide manipulations. If someone has figured this out please tell me how to do it.

By the way, the horn looks great.

Hup

[rodgeman]

that's actually a stock feature on these horns, but mine is missing the spring. They put it on the 3rd valve slide, where it's only useful for certain notes.

The 4th valve has an extra long slide tube. I think the idea is that along with the the 3rd valve adjustable slide you are fully chromatic down to the pedals. I haven't tried this so I don't know what position the 4th slide has to be in, or if there are multiple positions that work with various 3rd slide manipulations. If someone has figured this out please tell me how to do it.

By the way, the horn looks great.

Hup

It does look great. Here is the tuning for the fourth slide:

"Fourth valve in Eb: If you reverse the fourth slides and pull them to their extremes, you can tune the fourth valve to Eb by itself.

F 1-3T
E 1-2-3T
Eb 4
D 2-4
Db 1-2-4
C 2-3-4
B 1-2-3-4
The low notes all settle in pretty well without any trigger added. And let me say this: Low Eb played on one .600" valve is completely captivating. I want to play it again and again. Loud. This pattern makes a bit more sense to me than the above Fourth_in_E pattern, but of course, your mileage may vary. The drawbacks still include having to play 1-3 and 1-2-3 with that fourth piston button sort of in the way, and also not being able to set your horn down on the bell due to the extended fourth slide."

This is from http://www.hornguys.com/products/king-2280-euphonium . The also have a lot more on the page using F, Fb, and E for the fourth valve. I own one and enjoy it.

[MikeMason]

Please share more on how the lacquer stripping went. Thinking about stripping my conn 2j. Not sure if it's lacquer is in the same category as the Kings,since it was made by Reynolds ( I think).

[edsel585960]

Looks really good. 1st time for anything is hard.