Wearing Out Valve Guides!!!

[Dan Schultz]

I have a customer who is going through Perantucci PT6 (plastic) valve guides like crazy and is interested in replacing the plastic ones with metal guides.

I don't know much about these horns and would like to know what others think. Are metal guides even available?

[Dan Schultz]

I wonder why the guides are wearing out?

I expect the nylon guides on my B&S-made piston tubas to last nearly as long as I do.

I would expect that the guide slots are rough. But.... I haven't actually seen the horn yet and haven't spoken with the folks who have serviced it.... only the owner.

[Matt Walters]

Dan,
I just sent you an email. The key-way indeed sounds rough if the valve guide wears narrower. I have a hand tool Meinl Weston gave me for that problem. I only lend it out to other repairman I know if their customer will cover the Priority shipping both ways so I'm not left without a tool I might need for my own customers.

[Dan Schultz]

Dan,
I just sent you an email. ....

Thanks, Matt. I did receive your email and will be in touch.

[Dan Schultz]

I wonder why the guides are wearing out?

I expect the nylon guides on my B&S-made piston tubas to last nearly as long as I do.

Yeah. That was my point (the problem won't be solved by just replacing them). Are Dan and the tuba at the same location?

My own 5450 had horribly grabby guide slots when I first bought it (absolutely unusable valves). That lasted for about thirty minutes.

Is Bloke quoting Bloke?

Dan and the tuba in question are currently about five hours apart. We'll probably get together in about three weeks though.

[J.c. Sherman]

Every player I know with these $%@#ing guides (MW, B&S, etc.) goes through them like rice at a Chinese restaurant. Seems petroleum-based guides marinating in distilled petroleum in a wear environment isn't a great recipe for longevity. And I hate replacing them.

I'd like to find metal replacements too... especially since one of the guides on my newly purchased Besson was replaced with plastic... I do NOT need that failing on me at concert time!

[royjohn]

Special tools are nice, but I suspect that someone crafty could deal with rough valve guide slots using various grits of sandpaper or even matchsticks and appropriate grades of diamond grit. Just clean the casing out real well after finishing the job and between grits. Might even be able to use a slender burnisher. It's just soft brass, you know.

[Jay Bertolet]

Every player I know with these $%@#ing guides (MW, B&S, etc.) goes through them like rice at a Chinese restaurant.

You can check me off that list.

Me too, mine work just fine.

[Tundratubast]

And here I've been wondering were to find nylon guides for my Holton, Bloke any suggestions.
I also need a set of the Bloke valve and cap washers for this Holton, I'll call.

[J.c. Sherman]

Every player I know with these $%@#ing guides (MW, B&S, etc.) goes through them like rice at a Chinese restaurant.

You can check me off that list.

Me too, mine work just fine.

Must be an Ohio thing...

[joh_tuba]

What wears out on my tubas are the mouthpiece receivers. I practice really often (but only for about 15 - 20 seconds per practice session).

Maybe you need to start offering your shanks in a brass option?