Valve rebuilding?

jcmacman · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2004 7:05 am Post subject:

How do you know when it is time to have your valves rebuilt?
What are the symptoms?

Thanks

John

_dcstep · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2004 7:31 am Post subject:

Generally when you've lost compression and can't recover it by using a little heavier oil. (Sticking and lack of smoothness can generally be fixed by merely lapping the valves). Andersen did a great job on my old Conn New Wonder that had heavily pitted valves with little or no compression. The replated valves were smooth and quiet.

Dave
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jcmacman · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2004 11:01 am Post subject:

Thanks Dave.
I will try a different valve oil first.

John

HorneyMikey · Veteran Member Joined: 18 Jun 2003 Posts: 325

ALso, when you feel like your horn is getting harder to play and keep in tune.

Like you have to use more air than you are used to........

After I have Ken Pettifor redo my old BAch valves, the horn came back feeling tight. But the more I played it, the more I could back off and use less air and less effort.

Mike

El Fliscornista · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 3:17 pm Post subject:

I had this done to my 1964ish Mt.V Bach a few months ago. I had stopped playing for a few years because it started to seem stuffy or something. Now it plays great. It does seem a bit smaller or "tighter" than my Army issue horns (for example)....but actually I kinda like this now. I know next to nothing about instrument repair, but I'd guess that if a horn is 30 or so years old and has been played a lot, a valve job could help.

James

Tim80 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 1415

Pull the tuning slides off the horn. Depress the respective valve and blow into the horn. Now stop up the tube the air is blowing through with your finger or thumb. Be careful you can pop your ears. If the valves are tight your cheeks will puff out and you'll feel the pressure on your ears. If the valve is leaking you feel it escaping and you'll be losing pressure. You can hear the hissing too.

Tim

[ This Message was edited by: Tim80 on 2004-02-16 07:43 ]

ARB · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 6:07 am Post subject:

Great advise Tim, I was wondering how to determine if air leaks were present in vintage horns.

If there is some compression loss do they just replate the valves in most cases?
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HorneyMikey · Veteran Member Joined: 18 Jun 2003 Posts: 325

Depending on who does it. If they really now how to do it, they will mask off the valves ports, nickle plate the valves, then lap them in to fit the casings

Ket Pettifor, Ron Pinc, Chuck McAlexander, Wayne Tenabe. All these guys know how to rebuild valves.

Mike

FlugelFlyer · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 7:57 am Post subject:

Thanks to neglect in High School, my valves are pretty sluggish despite cleaning, use of all different valve oils, and having the horn professionally cleaned. I'm guessing I need my valves lapped. Could anybody tell me what it might cost to have all three valves lapped on my trumpet?
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Tim80 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 1415

ARB,
If the compression loss is so bad that it is affecting the way the horn plays then the valves can either be replated or oversized valves can be bought and fitted to the horn(if available). If the horn plays well I wouldn't worry about it. My old Benge needs some work. The first valve had been dropped and knocked out of round. In the repair to much metal had been lapped off. I called Zig Kanstul (who supervised the making of my horn back in the day) and told him the first valve was leaking badly. The other valves are fine. He said he could fit an oversized Benge valve. If I remember correctly the cost of the valve was $75. I'm not sure if that price included fitting the valve or not. I need a new leadpipe too so I'm just gonna send him the horn and let his shop do their magic. If you replate your valves you'll need to replate all of them. I had a Martin Committee that had it valves replated and they were very quick and smooth.
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pedaltonekid · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Nov 2001 Posts: 1711

The last time I had a set of valves rebuilt it was $100 per valve, but very much worth it. The valves were all hand lapped into place and the response of the horn and valve action was unbelievable. I had it done by Brian Seehafer from Band Instrument Repair in Wausau, WI.
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