I took my ancient, giant Kruspe 5/4 BBb to my repairman recently to get some work done on it.
One issue is the first valve slide does not move. He tried his usual methods, and then attempted to unsolder it. When trying to unsolder it, he was not able to get it free.
I've tried at home a few times, too. No dice. It is just, simply, stuck.
In the meantime I am soaking it in PB Blaster. Any other tips/tricks?
Slides not unsoldering
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arpthark
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Dents Be Gone!
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I agree, guys. This is the way to go.
Last edited by Dents Be Gone! on Wed May 01, 2024 9:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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arpthark
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Re: Slides not unsoldering
Speaking of flux, how do y'all like to apply it to joints?
I use those little brushes you can get at the hardware store, but my repair guy (I've noticed) uses a sort of semi-rigid wick thing.
Thanks, @Dents Be Gone!. I will give the flux application a shot, enlisting the help of my beautiful assistant, who I happen to be married to. She already has some experience in helping me solder bell-to-top bow joints together.
I use those little brushes you can get at the hardware store, but my repair guy (I've noticed) uses a sort of semi-rigid wick thing.
Thanks, @Dents Be Gone!. I will give the flux application a shot, enlisting the help of my beautiful assistant, who I happen to be married to. She already has some experience in helping me solder bell-to-top bow joints together.
Blake
Bean Hill Brass
Bean Hill Brass
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Dents Be Gone!
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I agree, guys. This is the way to go.
Last edited by Dents Be Gone! on Wed May 01, 2024 9:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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bloke
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Re: Slides not unsoldering
BACK-feed the PB Blaster from the ROTOR CASING into the (space between the) ends of inside/outside slide tubes.
It's ALWAYS that end (NOT the slide bow/front end) where lime has cemented slide tubes together.
If you choose to "activate" the PB Blaster with heat (ie. a flame - applied in the empty valve casing towards the back end of those inside slide tubes), you're going to need to be quite brave, get your lips up close, and BLOW on that area (and have enough air in your lungs to blow the entire time you apply the flame) WHILE APPLYING A FLAME, in order for it to not flame up (ie. catch fire)...In cases such as this (as well as drying lacquer quickly via flame) a direct strong focused breeze prevents the flammable liquid (somehow ?) from catching on fire. (I don't know nor care "why"; all I care about - in this case - is "yup".)
If this dissolves enough lime (though PB Blaster doesn't claim to dissolve lime, it certain has proven - to me - that it is quite effective at loosening it up), you might even be able to get that slide out without un-soldering the slide bow.
(I used this method - last week - on two FOREVER stuck slides on a cosmetically perfect Besson Sovereign euphonium.
It was the l-o-n-g #3 slide and the (shorter length / same width) #1 slide.
As the instrument was piston and top-action, it was considerably more awkward to put the PB Blaster where it needed to be vs. your rotor-body-removed #2 rotor casing outing (assuming you try what I'm suggesting).
You can EASILY destroy an ancient/brittle slide bow doing this, but - if you have a piece of round steel that fits fairly snugly into the armpit of that slide bow - you can carefully-yet-firmly (as tiny taps won't do crap) tap on that round rod - AFTER you do the stuff suggested above, and - hopefully - it will begin to budge.
bloke "I ain't takin' NO 'sponsibillytees fo' NUTHIN' !, and - for reasons such as these and more - takes a pasadena when it comes to putting out dough on pre-war rotary tubas."
It's ALWAYS that end (NOT the slide bow/front end) where lime has cemented slide tubes together.
If you choose to "activate" the PB Blaster with heat (ie. a flame - applied in the empty valve casing towards the back end of those inside slide tubes), you're going to need to be quite brave, get your lips up close, and BLOW on that area (and have enough air in your lungs to blow the entire time you apply the flame) WHILE APPLYING A FLAME, in order for it to not flame up (ie. catch fire)...In cases such as this (as well as drying lacquer quickly via flame) a direct strong focused breeze prevents the flammable liquid (somehow ?) from catching on fire. (I don't know nor care "why"; all I care about - in this case - is "yup".)
If this dissolves enough lime (though PB Blaster doesn't claim to dissolve lime, it certain has proven - to me - that it is quite effective at loosening it up), you might even be able to get that slide out without un-soldering the slide bow.
(I used this method - last week - on two FOREVER stuck slides on a cosmetically perfect Besson Sovereign euphonium.
It was the l-o-n-g #3 slide and the (shorter length / same width) #1 slide.
As the instrument was piston and top-action, it was considerably more awkward to put the PB Blaster where it needed to be vs. your rotor-body-removed #2 rotor casing outing (assuming you try what I'm suggesting).
You can EASILY destroy an ancient/brittle slide bow doing this, but - if you have a piece of round steel that fits fairly snugly into the armpit of that slide bow - you can carefully-yet-firmly (as tiny taps won't do crap) tap on that round rod - AFTER you do the stuff suggested above, and - hopefully - it will begin to budge.
bloke "I ain't takin' NO 'sponsibillytees fo' NUTHIN' !, and - for reasons such as these and more - takes a pasadena when it comes to putting out dough on pre-war rotary tubas."