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Thread: Storage & Valves

  1. Storage & Valves

    I am having to travel a bit and will need to put my fairly new euphonium away for a few months. My concern is the valves. Currently use Al Cass Fast valve oil, but if the instrument sits a few days the valves dry out and don't work well until oiled again. So, any thoughts on what could be used on the valves to keep them safe and unstuck for a few months while I'm away?

    Would also like to mention that I previously had been playing a Yahama 321S but have since purchased a Sterling Virtuoso Euphonium with a heavy gold brass bell. Absolutely Love it!!

    Thanks,
    Craig

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2012
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    Anderson, Indiana
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    There are some in various brass forums who swear by the staying power of Alisyn synthetic oil, even in stored instruments. (It's available from Amazon, one of this site's sponsors.) I tried it and liked how it felt on my valves, but a staining, yellow liquid kept coming out of the spit valves. Alisyn blamed this on my failure to thoroughly clean any old oil out of my instrument, but a search of the internet seemed to indicate that there are at least a small percentage of us for whom this was a continuing problem. I ended up switching to a different oil.

  3. #3
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    I found the best way was to clean out your valves and casings really well, then let them completely dry then insert them back into their casings. Be sure to leave the top and bottom valve caps loosely threaded. Here's some background...

    About six years ago I was ill and couldn't play for a long while so had to put my euph away for at least three months. I didn't do any prep - just left the valve oil stay on the valves. Three months later when I went back, I found all of them stuck where I had to tap the finger buttons lightly with a rubber hammer to get them to move. I went searching to find out what I did wrong and the best way to store a horn and found what I shared above.

    My test: When I got my new M5050, I took my Yamaha 641 out and cleaned it like stated above and put it away for at least six months until I loaned it to my grandson When I came back, the valves worked fine, but they did need oiling.

    Hope this helps.
    Last edited by RickF; 12-21-2015 at 12:58 PM.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
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  4. #4
    Great advice, Rick! I have not tried it myself, but next time I need to store a horn I will because it just plain makes sense!!
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
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  5. #5
    Metal tools and parts are almost always shipped coated in oil to prevent any corrosion. On the one hand, you need to be careful of the oil being a conduit for galvanic corrosion between dissimilar metals. On the other hand, oxygen and water (both in the form of liquid water and humidity in the air) can corrode metal parts. Stainless steel is generally rust-proof but it isn't completely rust-proof. I would be especially wary of leaving stainless steel pistons unprotected.

    You also have to be worried about what's going to happen when the instrument is pulled out of the closet again in a few months. Will you be tempted to just start playing? Or are you certain you will remember to stop and carefully oil it?

    My preferred way to store valves would be to drain, clean, and dry of any water, and then apply a layer of heavy valve oil (classic or vintage -- meant for antique instruments).
    --
    Barry

  6. #6
    I'd clean the horn. Then go about disassembling it, valves & slides wiped clean, wrapped individually, in an accessories bag/case. Store the horn in an environment without extreme temperature changes. Not in the uninsulated attic, or water heater closet, and not by storing the case vertically on the bell. I've seen some real horrors of horns at estate/storage auctions.

  7. I like Barry's advice. Clean and dry valves, slides and horn. Oil valves with something like Hetman #3. It will stay "oily" for a long time. Grease slides. If you have an air compressor, it may help you dry everything out well. Conversely, leave all the slides upside down for 24 hours and stand the horn up in a stand.
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
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  8. #8
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    FWIW - I was using Hetman's when I left my horn unused for 3 months, but it was Hetman's light.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  9. #9
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    If your that concerned, what about removing the valves and springs, bagging them up in a ziplock bag(s) and placing the bag in the case with horn. A couple of years ago, I was helping a friend sell her father's trumpet and that's the way it was packed away in storage for years. It was simple, I just oiled up the valves and greased the slides and it worked flawlessly.
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