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Hi all,

Recently I've been trying to get my slides to work better. 1, 2, and 3 are all fine, but 4 is a bit problematic. I really have to yank on that sucker to get it to move, and I think I know why. There's a dent right under the brace from the fourth slide to the top bow. It was there when I got the horn, so I'm pretty sure it's not something I did. In other words, the brace is pushed into the bow and I think it pushed the slide out of alignment. I'll post a picture of it for you all to look at. My question is, what is the process for getting that dent out? And will it scar the silver plate if that brace needs to be removed?

I know I could just take it to a repair tech around me but they're still quarantining instruments, so I don't really want to take it to them just yet, and I was curious what the process is for a dent like this. I don't *really* need to move this slide while playing, I just like when everything has the ability to move well.

It might be a little hard to see in the pictures but I did my best to get it to show.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

Thanks in advance. Let me know if that link doesn't work.

PULL UP !!!

https://external-preview.redd.it/-CuNZ_ ... 0d0562dfa5

bloke wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 2:11 pm PULL UP !!!

https://external-preview.redd.it/-CuNZ_ ... 0d0562dfa5

Or push the rest of the horn down to match it...

windshieldbug wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 2:43 pm

bloke wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 2:11 pm PULL UP !!!

https://external-preview.redd.it/-CuNZ_ ... 0d0562dfa5

Or push the rest of the horn down to match it...

...but really...
The first thing to do is to sight across the outside slide tubes and - if no coplanar - pull up on the one that's mashed in.

If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, get someone to do it who's done it a bunch of times before.

Thanks very much.

I don't plan on messing with it myself. Too many ways I could mess it up. I'll take it in at some point.

The dent in the bow tube under the brace is best fixed by just taking the brace off and using the proper tools to remove the dent. I've had good results pulling up on the brace in the direction that would take out the dent. However.... that's probably not the REAL problem. Compression dents like that usually take their toll on BOTH ends of the brace. If the other end of the brace is on an outer slide tube, there is likely a minor dent there too. A very shallow dent of only .001" or so will result in the outer tubing dragging on the inner tube. In deeper dents there might be a dent in BOTH the inner and outer slide tube. There are special tools to deal with this.

I am going to agree with Dan, when pursuing a perfect repair, but perfect repairs can sometimes really screw up an instrument’s appearance (finish), and actually lower its value, because so many people base value (of so many things) on appearance.

The tack that I would first pursue would be to (again) pull up on that until the mashed in place in the bow was nearly gone…if lucky: almost completely gone. I would then carefully run a not particularly tight expander (one in good condition) through the tube where it is braced. Quite often, that combination of efforts offers very satisfactory repair without burned lacquer and without resoldered joints.

Thanks, Dan and bloke. I relented and pulled up on that brace this morning. Not perfect but now I don't need asgardian strength to get the slide to budge.

Sousaswag wrote: ↑Tue Oct 20, 2020 8:26 am Thanks, Dan and bloke. I relented and pulled up on that brace this morning. Not perfect but now I don't need asgardian strength to get the slide to budge.

I have a first-run 5450, and am very lucky (maybe even a privilege) to own it.
I paid a not-bargain price (at the time, it was a bit dented up, and valves not working perfectly) when I got it.
That having been said, its factory slide alignment was/is exquisite.
I've seen some (as the model became wildly popular quickly) with hastily-assembled valvesets (poor slide alignment).
Your problem could (??) be partially the skew problem (which you partially alleviated) and COULD POSSIBLY ALSO be a parallel (factory-caused) problem, which would (yup) require some torch work by a really skilled repair-guy...

...It just depends (obviously) on how far you wish to go with it...and (maybe?) not just that slide, but some of the others, as well...(??)