3 piece mouthpieces. Shanks /spanners

[Peach]

Given the chance of shanks getting stuck, I'm wondering why Houser and WHF shanks don't have flat sides/hex section at the top (where it meets the cup) so they can easily be removed with a spanner?
Cost...?
Notably Doug Elliott shanks DO have this feature.
Yeah, it's not a big deal but I've had to carefully tape-up my mole grips more than once to shift a stubborn shank.

[Donn]

Must be hard to do with a lathe. Mole grips ... what we call vice grips? Some potential there to crush the mouthpiece a bit. If there's enough meat at the top of the shank, maybe you could file flats into it, to fit a convenient wrench size (spanner to you!)

[edit] I wondered while whether we were talking about extracting the shank from the receiver, or from the mouthpiece cup - looks like the latter is what 58mark was thinking, but Klaus the former. In that case, I suggest leave the cup and shank threaded together anyway, before applying the jaws of death, so if the shank is deformed the mouthpiece will still be playable. After I crushed a couple sousaphone bits trying to separate them, it was made clear to me that one doesn't twist things like that apart when they're really stuck. [/edit]

[imperialbari]

Torsion always challenges a receiver/leadpipe set-up.

That is why you can buy mouthpiece pullers.

Klaus

[sousaphone68]

I think Peach is talking about trying to split a modular mouthpiece apart not removing a mouthpiece stuck in a lead pipe.

[rudysan]

Take bubble wrap! It gives the best grip and you just need your hands. It won't damage your shank. Nothing has resist that yet.

[imperialbari]

I think Peach is talking about trying to split a modular mouthpiece apart not removing a mouthpiece stuck in a lead pipe.

Yes, that very well could be. And if so, I will recommend a tool very much used by people of my age: the strap wrench.

Klaus

PS: Mine is somewhat like this one and was bought in the kitchen department of a large supermarket:

[roweenie]

Would this stuff be helpful, along with a mallet?



I've yet to see something frozen that it won't undo - I even used it today to change the brakes on my car....

As a side question, is there anything like a Never-Seez made specifically for brass or stainless steel? Maybe a little of that on the threads will prevent the parts freezing together....

[ppalan]

About a year ago, I stumbled by accident on Bloke's method of holding the mouthpiece and was surprised it worked...it worked just as he said. After that, I started applying a drop or two of oil (usually valve or rotor oil) to the threads and haven't had an issue since.
Pete

[Peach]

1/ If the shank is stuck on the cup, likely all that a wrench would accomplish (had we machined "flats" on the shank) would be to supply more torque to turn the entire mouthpiece in the hand that is trying to hold on to the cup (as there would be no "spanner/wrench" that would fit the cup).

2/ There is a way to hold the cup and the shank (do and don't picture below) that looks like it wouldn't be as good, but actually gives you MUCH more torque.

3/ In the NEXT picture down (and a link just below this text to buy one CHEAP) is your (defacto) "spanner/wrench", if you REALLY need it. It's cheaper than a good quality spanner/wrench, and (unlike an ACTUAL metal wrench) it makes NO marks on the mouthpiece:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rawhide-Mallet- ... 2269226055

4/ You could have asked me, but was probably actually better to ask "everyone", so everyone will know the answers to those questions (and, perhaps, quite a few others had the same questions).


You would THINK that your pinky and ring finger would be weak, but - with the hand
turned "palm up" - they are considerably stronger than the thumb/index in the "palm down" position.


...and cradle the mouthpiece in your hand - as shown.


...but I prefer rawhide, as the material is the perfect combination of "hard" and "soft".

The above is helpful, as is the biz about the rawhide mallet. I hope others get mileage out of this thread as I will...
Always loving the new 3-piece mouthpieces =)

[ppalan]

...this location (only an inch from the player's mouth) REALLY IS too close to a player's mouth to mess around with toxic substances...

Thanks Bloke. I really hadn't thought about that since it was only a drop and I never saw any hint of oil migrating into the mouthpiece. I actually still have some of that Dow Corning 111 from some other projects which I'll start using in place of the oil.
Pete