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Pablopiccasso Veteran Member
Joined: 25 Jan 2014 Posts: 204
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Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2018 5:14 pm Post subject: Home cleaning mix |
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I got a good deal on a used Getzen trumpet. It has some grimy deposits in the first tuning slide. What home cleaning potions are useful? |
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zaferis Heavyweight Member
Joined: 03 Nov 2011 Posts: 2309 Location: Beavercreek, OH
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Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2018 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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A sink full of warm water, add a cup or 2 of white vinegar, take the trumpet apart, soak in the sink for a couple hours (minus the valves).
Rinse and wash with a little Dawn, rinse, lube and put it back together. _________________ Freelance Performer/Educator
Adjunct Professor
Bach Trumpet Endorsing Artist
Retired Air Force Bandsman |
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Billy B Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 6126 Location: Des Moines
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 3:43 am Post subject: |
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I use CLR mixed 20:1 _________________ Bill Bergren |
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solo soprano Heavyweight Member
Joined: 26 Jan 2012 Posts: 856 Location: Point O' Woods / Old Lyme, Connecticut
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trombahonker Heavyweight Member
Joined: 30 Nov 2004 Posts: 1480 Location: Atlanta
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 5:15 am Post subject: |
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Lava soap on the inside |
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1jazzyalex Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Jun 2016 Posts: 569 Location: San Jose, CA
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 4:44 pm Post subject: |
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I'd go with Simple Green. It removes crud like no other soap, yet doesn't seem to be corrosive or anything.
It's the only cleaner I could wash my motorcycle with and it would get the chain grease off of the swingarm but not give me "dishpan hands". _________________ Yamaha 8335LA with Blessing 3C, 5C, Schilke 11A4A |
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jharris2 Veteran Member
Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 166 Location: Arkansas
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Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 am Post subject: |
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solo soprano wrote: | Simple Green |
I've used diluted Simple Green with mixed results. On plated instruments it was great. But on the lacquered Olds Ambassador, it turned the silver-colored parts of the horn purple.
Polish removed the purple and returned the normal color, but it was an unexpected result! _________________ John
2014 Flip Oakes Wild Thing flugelhorn (copper bell)
2014 Flip Oakes Celebration trumpet
2005 Flip Oakes Wild Thing trumpet
2002 Flip Oakes Wild Thing short cornet
1976 Getzen Eterna Severinsen trumpet
1951 Olds Ambassador cornet |
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1jazzyalex Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Jun 2016 Posts: 569 Location: San Jose, CA
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Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 11:34 pm Post subject: |
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jharris2 wrote: | it turned the silver-colored parts of the horn purple.
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You talk like this is a bad thing? _________________ Yamaha 8335LA with Blessing 3C, 5C, Schilke 11A4A |
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jharris2 Veteran Member
Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 166 Location: Arkansas
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Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 9:48 am Post subject: |
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1jazzyalex wrote: | You talk like this is a bad thing? |
_________________ John
2014 Flip Oakes Wild Thing flugelhorn (copper bell)
2014 Flip Oakes Celebration trumpet
2005 Flip Oakes Wild Thing trumpet
2002 Flip Oakes Wild Thing short cornet
1976 Getzen Eterna Severinsen trumpet
1951 Olds Ambassador cornet |
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chuck in ny Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 3597 Location: New York
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Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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talking about the first slide, invert it in a glass and fill it with vinegar, or vinegar and baking soda, or dish detergent, and allow to sit for a couple of hours. you can also use washing soda. after using one compound go on to the next for luck. snake it out and take a look with a flashlight. |
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Abraxas Veteran Member
Joined: 31 Jan 2018 Posts: 345 Location: London, Canada
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2018 8:05 pm Post subject: |
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I made a CLR solution of about 4 parts water to 1 CLR. I dismantled my horn and let it soak for about 4 hours. Not only did it not damage the horn, it didn't clean it either so I'll be damned if I know what I'm doing wrong. I still see what appears to be rust on my cylinders. Some sort of brownish stain at least. I'm now beginning to wonder if it's some sort of oil buildup. Anyhow , it's an OLDS Special Cornet that I really love, when the valves aren't sticking. I've only used it for about 20 hours and have been using Hetman's 2 or 3 on it. I think I'll try vinegar tomorrow. I use one of those tacky, plastic, rectangular bathroom waste buckets and the horn fits perfectly in it without a ton of wasted space. |
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Denny Schreffler Veteran Member
Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 383 Location: Tucson
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2018 9:50 pm Post subject: |
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Since the thread reactivated a bit ...
... this or something like this. Any of the slides and all of the metal parts of the valves
link
You'l find uses for it for the rest of your life.
-Denny |
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Abraxas Veteran Member
Joined: 31 Jan 2018 Posts: 345 Location: London, Canada
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2018 11:07 pm Post subject: |
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Denny Schreffler wrote: | Since the thread reactivated a bit ...
... this or something like this. Any of the slides and all of the metal parts of the valves
LINK
You'l find uses for it for the rest of your life.
-Denny |
I'm sure it's nice but I think more importantly, is the solvent that is put in it. I've used ultrasonic cleaners before, in a commercial environment. they are labor savers but won't break down scale or oil buildup without a chemical boost. |
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Abraxas Veteran Member
Joined: 31 Jan 2018 Posts: 345 Location: London, Canada
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2018 11:09 pm Post subject: |
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The tank size is only 5 x 4 x 3 too, so good for a harmonica. funny how they make it look so big in the photos. |
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Denny Schreffler Veteran Member
Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 383 Location: Tucson
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2018 11:37 pm Post subject: |
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Abraxas wrote: | Denny Schreffler wrote: | Since the thread reactivated a bit ...
... this or something like this. Any of the slides and all of the metal parts of the valves
LINK
You'l find uses for it for the rest of your life.
-Denny |
I'm sure it's nice but I think more importantly, is the solvent that is put in it. I've used ultrasonic cleaners before, in a commercial environment. they are labor savers but won't break down scale or oil buildup without a chemical boost. |
A little heat and a little water-based detergent
and 40KHz of cavitation
The tank size is 5 7/8" x 5 5/16" x 4". The dimensions that you quoted are for the basket which would not be needed for trumpet slides, valves, or mouthpieces.
Plenty big for any of our slides -- the OP was asking about a crudded up 1st slide.
-Denny |
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Abraxas Veteran Member
Joined: 31 Jan 2018 Posts: 345 Location: London, Canada
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 12:33 am Post subject: |
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Ahhh.... I see. |
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dstpt Heavyweight Member
Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 1272
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 4:34 am Post subject: |
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I got one of these Hornady Sonic Cleaners a few years ago,...
https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-043310-Lock-N-Load-Sonic-Cleaners/dp/B00AU6CK20/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1526385737&sr=8-3&keywords=hornady+sonic
...but I quickly learned not to leave a horn or parts in for very long. Tom Green told me on the phone last fall that 5 minutes max per cleaning should suffice. I treated a 1972 Bach Stradivarius cornet I was selling, and it ended up showing some pinkish color on the slides, which means the beginning signs of red rot (zinc leaching through). I knew not to use the heat function on the device. I'm sure it's just fine for shotgun barrels, which is the original intention for this particular device. I can get all of a horn, except for the top of most trumpet bells, so I know it's getting to all of the innards. The other important component is the solution you use. You have to use a degreaser, so something like Simple Green or Prep & Etch is what some have recommended. It's like a 20:1 ratio...just a couple of tablespoons in the entire basin filled with water. I use various bottle brushes (with Dawn dishwashing liquid) to reach certain portions of the inside both prior to as well as after sonic treatment.
Interestingly, one local brass tech no longer uses a sonic cleaner, btw. He said he's seen too many horns where the plating and lacquer starts to bubble up after a very short period of exposure. Oh, yeah, that was another thing on the Bach cornet...the silver on the 3rd slide started to bubble up! Wondered what that was! Duh! |
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blbaumgarn Heavyweight Member
Joined: 26 Jul 2017 Posts: 705
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 9:54 pm Post subject: home cleaning mix |
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doing maintenance on printing presses for 20 years something an old machinist repairman told me has been very true with musical instruments, too. There are water soluble substances and non water soluble substances. You will eventually deal with both in a trumpet given enough time. Things that are stuck will usually surrender with a little penetrant in the tube. If it is a slide you can shoot penetrant down the slide tube and let sit. Using a snake or cloth, whatever, you will be surprised how much more junk you get. I did all the valves and slides on a 1970 King cornet about a year ago. The WD40 didn't hurt anything. Good Luck, there were some awesome suggestions. |
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adagiotrumpet Heavyweight Member
Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 901
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 6:07 am Post subject: |
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chuck in ny wrote: | talking about the first slide, invert it in a glass and fill it with vinegar, or vinegar and baking soda, or dish detergent, and allow to sit for a couple of hours. you can also use washing soda. after using one compound go on to the next for luck. snake it out and take a look with a flashlight. |
Doesn't mixing vinegar and baking soda neutralize the acid (vinegar), creating salt and water? Anybody who remembers their high school chemistry better want to chime in? |
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Don Herman rev2 'Chicago School' Forum Moderator
Joined: 03 May 2005 Posts: 8951 Location: Monument, CO
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 7:16 am Post subject: |
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Yes, plus baking soda is a mild abrasive, and can cause clumping. I'd skip it for this. A baking soda/hot water mixture with the horn in contact with a sheet of aluminum can help remove tarnish, but baking soda is also a pain to thoroughly wash out of the horn. _________________ "After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music" - Aldous Huxley |
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