cheap-keyboard-bench-as-a-seat-AND-tuba-rest-in-one update - PICTURES

[bloke]

...so this is the cheapest portable keyboard bench I could find.
It was branded "Yamaha", but recognized the same one with other brand names.

It was shipped with a 2" way-too-soft foam pad under the vinyl upholstery.

I removed the pad, replaced it with 3/8-inch rubber (compresses c. 40%-50%) pad, but I have not YET re-stapled the black vinyl upholstery over the replacement pad.

This is of use whereby a tuba (when sitting on the corner of a regular chair in which one is seated) is the ideal height, YET the player would PREFER to not sit on the corner of a chair NOR risk the tuba slipping off the corner of the chair.

I'm seated on this keyboard bench 90-degrees off the way it was intended to be used. I'm sitting towards the "back" of it (narrow-wise) and the tuba is setting (safely) on the front.

The rubber pad wraps around the edges of the thick/hard Masonite platform, JUST IN CASE the tuba is allowed to slip off anyway, so that the front edge will ALSO be padded (under the vinyl) with that rubber pad.

If "sitting on the same chair as the player" does NOT offer a player and a particular tuba the ideal height, well - obviously - this is NOT for them...

...but - if there is a tuba that works out like that - this sure is nice and (to me) better than any playing stand, YET no more trouble to schlep than a playing stand (as it's collapsible).

[bloke]

I'm not taking a [ B ] picture (contrasting [ A ] ), but the tuba is much more vertically oriented that were it resting on my legs.
vertically-oriented = balances much more nicely

[JRaymo]

Love the JS you added!


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[Jperry1466]

I have been thinking about doing that exact thing for some time, and I appreciate your description of the padding and cover change. I have been trying to find the widest one possible to prevent the tuba sliding off the end. Mine fell off my K&M stand one rehearsal (didn't pay attention to where it was in the cradle), and the bell hit my glasses. I had to go to the ER to get the skin super-glued back on to my nose.

[bloke]

I have been thinking about doing that exact thing for some time, and I appreciate your description of the padding and cover change. I have been trying to find the widest one possible to prevent the tuba sliding off the end. Mine fell off my K&M stand one rehearsal (didn't pay attention to where it was in the cradle), and the bell hit my glasses. I had to go to the ER to get the skin super-glued back on to my nose.

I'm going to hold the rubber pad down with some sort of glue (which is chemically easy on rubber) in the four corners. I'm going to cut the rubber pad 1 inch wider than the tempered masonite base on all four sides, then pull like hell on the vinyl upholstery (while keeping it centered) and staple it back on. Then (as it was previously sitting over a 2 inch foam rubber pad) cut off the excess and staple that whatever junk material (on the bottom side - black gauzy stuff) back over the vinyl (as before).

[tofu]

[bloke]

It's a half inch thick piece of tempered Masonite the area of a chair seat (but rectangular, rather than square) and a few feet of thin wall steel tubing.
There's no tripod to trip over, and there are no steel cup edges to watch out for.
Due to swapping out the pad, it's 2 inches shorter than other ones, when collapsed
I'm no more interested in what you like any more than you are interested in what I like. I suspect that no one is interested in what either of us like, and are really only interested in what they might possibly like.

[bloke]

Why have I procrastinated...??

The staples look to be regular "Stanley"-type staples (not air-driven)...but - even though I have a GOOD-quality/new-condition "home" stapler, I'm wondering if it's as strong at the one used at the factory...(??)

IN OTHER WORDS...

OK...SIDEBAR:
I have an AIR stapler (which shoots out those narrow two-sided "nail" style staples), but I don't have a tougher ELECTRIC version of a stapler than staples the 27/64"-wide staples...so I'm worried that my "home" stapler (spring-loaded) might not penetrate this very dense Masonite...(??)

I REALLY don't want to BUY one of these:

[bloke]

I'm going to tack the four corners of the 3/8" thick rubber to the particle board, so the act of pulling the vinyl upholstery down tight doesn't move the rubber pad - underneath it - sideways.

The internet tells me that super glue should work well for rubber to particle board, because it dries quickly and - as long as the small glued areas are held down for a few minutes - it should hold it in place plenty well. (I'm typically not much of a user of super glue, but I suppose the advice makes sense.)

Does anyone have alternate suggestions for a type of glue for this specific purpose?

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I DID test the Stanley hand-stapler, and those staples (thankfully) go right in - no problem.

[peterbas]

.

[bloke]

That looks like an amazing rubber-to-rubber product...
' wondering about rubber-to-wood-product...maybe that too...

[Paulver]

I would think the wetsuit glue is a good idea. Also, I'm not sure if tire patch "rubber cement" is stronger than regular rubber cement, but I'd give it try, too..... (the tire patch cement). Can't hurt.

[Mary Ann]

I just need a shelf right off the front that is about an inch and a half lower than the seat. Then I could go anywhere and just take the seat with me. Instead of the tuba stand and pliers to tighten it enough to not sink during use. Or have to sit on the front INCH of one of those plastic chairs that slopes backwards for people with great big butts to have a well to sit in.

That actually would be pretty easy to do with this one, which adjusts low enough that I can get my feet on the ground:

(Amazon) VEIYOUMO-Adjustable-Padded-Keyboard-Non-Skid

It will not print the url. I am baffled.

[bloke]

I just need a shelf right off the front that is about an inch and a half lower than the seat. Then I could go anywhere and just take the seat with me. Instead of the tuba stand and pliers to tighten it enough to not sink during use. Or have to sit on the front INCH of one of those plastic chairs that slopes backwards for people with great big butts to have a well to sit in.

That actually would be pretty easy to do with this one, which adjusts low enough that I can get my feet on the ground:

(Amazon) VEIYOUMO-Adjustable-Padded-Keyboard-Non-Skid

It will not print the url. I am baffled.

Mary Ann tuba bench adapt.png (26.88 KiB) Viewed 1248 times

[bloke]

glue:

We have (hit both surfaces/let dry for 3 minutes/stick together) high-grade contact cement. (We use it to glue cork and felt to brass, nickel, silver, and lacquer).

[Mary Ann]

Looks very do-able. Let me know when it's finished.

[peterbas]

.

[bloke]

Portability might be an issue.

' too bad Ray Walston and Elizabeth Montgomery aren't still around...
Maybe Barbara Eden is available...??

[bloke]

OK...This is the best I could do.

Wrapping the 3/8 inch thick rubber around the two narrow sides all the way around to the bottom (which - NOT used as a keyboard bench and used FOR a tuba playing chair) presented a challenge, and you'll see the extra thickness on those ends, but that's to protect the back of the bottom bow of the tuba, if it slips off the surface.

There also IS some rubber handing down over the two long sizes as well, but not wrapping around all the way to the bottom side...
...I just used glue gel to tack the rubber pad to the masonite, so that it wouldn't move around while re-installing the vinyl.

I used a good grade of contact cement and the same type of staples the factory used.

The vinyl is stapled down, and the (cordura nylon gauzy stuff?) is stapled over it (as before. The edges (unlike before) are now glued (as the rubber wrapped around complicated the shape on the underside).

I'll be using it tomorrow "out in the field" (the "field" of gig-age).







Now, the seat is nice and firm and (well...) not just sorta stuck together.

If interested at all, (as I discovered that I could do this - at least "well enough") YOU CAN DO THIS, and likely BETTER.

The bench, shipping, rubber pad material, and shipping were all under $70 total.

[Mary Ann]

The ultimate bench?
Portability might be an issue.

Yeah that's cool -- just need to remove the legs altogether and install legs like on the bench I showed, that had adjustable height. Then it would fold up. Still pretty heavy though I bet, but more portable.