tuning slide dilemma

DR_DIRT_MAN · Veteran Member Joined: 11 Jul 2003 Posts: 107

I seem to be having a problem with the main tuning slide on my new horn moving every time I use it's spit valve. Any tips on how to deal with this?

riffdawg2000 · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2003 4:32 am Post subject:

Poor Man method -

1) take slide out ... grip it with one hand on each slide ...GENTLY pull the slides apart ... just a LITTLE bit ... NOT much...replace in horn and see if it is 'stiffer' sliding in and out ...

BEST Method -

Take to a repairman and explain. More than likely he/she will use a slide expander and expand the slide on one or both side to make it fit snugger.
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Joel Thomas

fuzzyjon79 · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2003 4:32 am Post subject:

What are you using to lube it with? I usually take mine out, wipe it off, and use something like a Schilke Lanolin Slide Grease on mine. It provides good lube but doesn't make it so lubed that it slides in and out everytime I use the spit valve.

Reading Joel's reply above... I never even thought of that idea. I've never heard of making the slides fit more snug that way. I was guessing that it was a lube situation. Maybe not. Let us know how you remedy the situation.

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J. Fowler
"It takes a big ole' sack of flour, to make a big ole' pan of biscuits!"

[ This Message was edited by: fuzzyjon79 on 2003-10-28 07:35 ]

oj · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2003 4:52 am Post subject:

You should try french horn
- there you have to adjust all the time (take out the tuning slide and the others) to empty for water. Just take a look at a horn section during a symphony concert.

It is a good thing that the slide can move!
But, if you want it to stay in a position you could use an adhesive tape

Ole

DR_DIRT_MAN · Veteran Member Joined: 11 Jul 2003 Posts: 107

Those are some good practical suggestions. I'll try spreading the slide a little first and see what happens. As far as adhesive tape goes OJ. Do you mean just putting a little scotch tape around the out part of the slide to act as a stop? The problem is that it does slide in towards me and that might be a solution. I''d be a bit reluctant to tape it in place over the lacquer as it is a red lacquer and it might come off.

Thanks

_trumpetgod_02 · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2003 5:27 am Post subject:

I don't think taht he was seriously suggesting that you use tape. Please don't use tape.

Nick
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jhatpro · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2003 5:35 am Post subject:

Try white grease. Available in small tubes at any hardware store. It's thicker than slide grease.
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Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

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_PhilPicc · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2003 6:00 am Post subject:

Try straight lanolin. It works on my slide that wants to move.
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OldKid · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Sep 2003 Posts: 135

trumplyr · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2003 7:20 am Post subject:

Use Schilke lanolin grease, very good stuff. If that's not tight enough, use Hetman's slide grease. It's stiffer then Schilke's. Don't try springing the slide tubes out unless you really know what you're doing. You may wind up knowing yuor local repair man better then you wanted to.

trickg · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2003 7:24 am Post subject:

I'll third the Schilke Lanolin grease. Great stuff and now that I've started using it, I don't think that I will use anything else.
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Patrick Gleason
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DavesTrumpet · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2003 7:40 am Post subject:

Lanolin is probably the best thing to use in a situation like this. Slides these days (Bach, in particularly) are made loose. Guess that's because so many students through the years developed the (bad) habit of never keeping the things greased. Or, and probably more to the truth, manufacturers would rather not spend the time hand fitting (lapping) slides, so they make the matched set of tubes (inside and out) fit loose. Whatever the reason, most slides these days fit loose.

I would not recommend expanding the inner tubes--you'll be changing the bore size and nor would I recommend expanding, or bending out the slide legs. The more proper thing to do would be to find the best possible lubricant, in this case a grease that's somewhat thick and can hold up to temperatures ok. Lanolin would probably be worth looking into. This is what Schilke grease is. Also Guppy Lube. Don't know if Guppy Lube is sold abroad to the public (Allied sells it) but it is essentially the same as Schilke grease and it's sold in a rather large container.

Dave M

oj · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2003 12:28 pm Post subject:

Don't use schotch tape - it was a joke!
(Note, I placed a smiley behind it

)

My post was in fact more a question - why not get used to this? If you use the spit valve - check the tuning. When I play french horn I have to check every time I empty it.

Btw, I play french horn in a symphony orch. - most of the time we have much more to do than the trumpets. We also have some very nice concerts, Mozart, Haydn, Strauss, etc. etc.

As to advices above: Listen to Dave M! He sure knows this stuff (being both a player and a repair man)!
.. and have a look at his great Bach pages:

http://www.electrotheremin.com/bach.html

Ole

P.S.
There was an argument in the brass section: Who was the best kisser? Finally they agreed. It was the horn.
Then the trumpet said: "Ok, ok - but it sure is a strange way they hold'ya!"

DR_DIRT_MAN · Veteran Member Joined: 11 Jul 2003 Posts: 107

Well, I tried spreading the slide apart ever so slightly and real carefully. The slide seems to stay in position now. Problem solved for now anyway. Thanks

riffdawg2000 · Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 8:05 am Post subject:

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