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Thread: Stuck!

  1. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Trperry View Post
    Following all the coverage of bagpipe lung my wife persuaded me to clean the family brass instruments. I discovered that the tuning slide on my son's tenor horn is stuck. It's a old Czech made Besson. Any tips on how to get it loose? I don't have a decent tech nearby so will have to send it away if it comes to that.
    I use Kroil from Kano laborites. Put a little around the slide where it enters the rest of the horn. Do this several times over several days. Try pulling the slide with a rag. If that doesn't work, you can heat it and work it loose, but I suggest taking it to a tech to have him work it loose.

  2. Quote Originally Posted by EuphoNewbie View Post
    I unscrewed 3 out of 4 valve caps with my bare fingers with a cloth but the first valve cap is still stuck, at that time I was cleaning the euphonium so left it. Are there any consequences of not cleaning the valve caps?
    I don't know about bagpipe lung, but the 1st valve takes the most abuse since it is the first one in line from your mouth through the lead pipe. If not maintained regularly, the valve cap could corrode together to the casing, ruining both the valve casing and the cap.

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Central North Carolina
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    Quote Originally Posted by iiipopes View Post
    I agree. WD-40 is a water displacer, not a lubricant. Now, obviously, water displacement on valve caps is a legitimate concern, but this isn't the application for WD-40.

    Traditional slide grease is. ...
    Yes, but you need to take a bit of care in what you mean by "traditional slide grease" and how long you leave it on before removing the caps and re-lubing. For about 20 years I used anhydrous lanolin as "slide grease", and it's still by second favorite stuff for this purpose (Dow-Corning High Vacuum silicone grease is what I use now). But you don't want to put it on and then leave it there for years. It and other "traditional" greases may dry out and harden. So just beware of that if you don't have regular maintenance intervals. This isn't a problem with the more modern "greases" that contain silicone and other synthetic materials -- though they have other potential problems if you use too much of them.
    Gary Merrill
    Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
    Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
    Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
    1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
    Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
    1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)

  4. Quote Originally Posted by ghmerrill View Post
    Yes, but you need to take a bit of care in what you mean by "traditional slide grease" and how long you leave it on before removing the caps and re-lubing. For about 20 years I used anhydrous lanolin as "slide grease", and it's still by second favorite stuff for this purpose (Dow-Corning High Vacuum silicone grease is what I use now). But you don't want to put it on and then leave it there for years. It and other "traditional" greases may dry out and harden. So just beware of that if you don't have regular maintenance intervals. This isn't a problem with the more modern "greases" that contain silicone and other synthetic materials -- though they have other potential problems if you use too much of them.
    I've never used anhydrous lanolin, as I have never had a regular gig in an extreme climate, so I had no idea that my statement would be interpreted in that way. Perhaps I should have said traditional petroleum (not petrolatum) based slide grease. But not even that gets it. So whatever grease you use, then second, I also emphasized, in my subsequent post, the need for regular periodic maintenance.

  5. #25
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    Location
    Central North Carolina
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    I am curious as to why you associate anhydrous lanolin with an extreme climate and wonder what "extreme" means in that context. So far as I know, anhydrous lanolin has been used as slide lube for many years in a wide variety of climates. In fact, it seems to me that it would not be particularly well-suited for either extremely cold or extremely hot climates.
    Gary Merrill
    Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
    Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
    Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
    1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
    Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
    1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)

  6. I may have misread something on TubeNet. In any event, let's agree on the following:

    1) regular maintenance of all parts of an instrument are a necessity;
    2) thorough cleaning and proper lubrication is part of that maintenance, including valves, slides, caps, mouthpieces, interior buildup, etc.
    3) WD-40 is not designed as a lubricant.

  7. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by iiipopes View Post
    I may have misread something on TubeNet. In any event, let's agree on the following:

    1) regular maintenance of all parts of an instrument are a necessity;
    2) thorough cleaning and proper lubrication is part of that maintenance, including valves, slides, caps, mouthpieces, interior buildup, etc.
    3) WD-40 is not designed as a lubricant.
    I agree with all of the above but for one exception. I am using WD-40 as a mild "corrosion inhibitor" not a lubricant. WD-40 works great as short term (2 months) corrosion inhibitor especially on highly conductive metals. Preventing the silver plated or brass threads from corroding will stop them from getting "stuck".

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Central North Carolina
    Posts
    2,368
    Quote Originally Posted by John Lebens View Post
    I agree with all of the above but for one exception. I am using WD-40 as a mild "corrosion inhibitor" not a lubricant. WD-40 works great as short term (2 months) corrosion inhibitor especially on highly conductive metals. Preventing the silver plated or brass threads from corroding will stop them from getting "stuck".
    Ever try a silicone lubricant (grease, liquid, or valve/key oil containing silicone)? If not, give it a try. Works better; lasts longer; no taste or odor; doesn't dry out. That's why it's used in a number of plumbing or gas pressure system or vacuum applications.

    I'd venture to say that most trombone players at this point use some sort of silicone or silicone-containing lube on their hand slides. At least a large number of them do. Denis Wick valve oil (among others) contains silicone. Silicone is also typically used on replaceable lead pipes on trombones precisely to prevent corrosion.
    Gary Merrill
    Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
    Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
    Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
    1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
    Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
    1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)

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