How to Dry a Trumpet?

WaxHaX0rS · Heavyweight Member Joined: 19 Jul 2003 Posts: 524

Hello, I wanted to know how to dry my silver trumpet after giving it a bath. I just let it sit tonight and air dry but it left a million waterspots that I had to go back to and wipe off. Anyone know of a better (non-abrasive) way to dry a silver horn and prevent water spots?
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minimus · Regular Member Joined: 25 Jul 2003 Posts: 59

you could dry it with an old cotton diaper theyre really soft. other than that i dont know

[ This Message was edited by: minimus on 2004-01-01 08:52 ]

atom_anderson · Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 8:23 am Post subject:

I usually just throw mine in the dryer, but I don't wash it in the washing machine because the spin cycle is typically a little harsh for the trumpet. JUST KIDDING!

I use an old 100% cotton t-shirt to dry my trumpets after washing.

-A

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

Be sure to use Cling Free if you use the dryer. The static can cause lasting harmonic distortion within the horn. Of course a cryogenic treatment can repair the damage but why go that route. Just use the Cling Free. Just joking. It's New Years Day not April Fool's Day. I just use a soft towel. Be careful of some of the polishing cloths for silver because they can scratch the finish too.

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[ This Message was edited by: Tim80 on 2004-01-01 13:07 ]

Arainach · Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 10:27 am Post subject:

Use something soft. I had an old Silver Polishing cloth that I used exclusively for drying horns, not polishing. I couldn't find it last time I cleaned my horn, so I did the essential drying with Tissues and then just polished it with the cloth. Soft and smooth are essential. I wouldn't want to scratch the finish.

TimBrown · Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 10:39 am Post subject:

Soft Towel. But to be very technical its the one on the towel rack closest to the tub.

-- tim
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WUG · Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 11:03 am Post subject:

The tendancy to get water spots is based on the varying water qualities and different localities will get different results. I find that soft water seems to leave less spots doing any kind of cleaning, whether it's your car or your dishes. I usually put a squirt of Jet Dry in the bath tub along with the dish soap (and trumpet of course). I didn't do a back to back comparison using this for the water at my current home but I don't have any water spots on my silver horn. I think the Jet Dry helps the water run off and not bead up on the surface.
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bdev · Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 11:09 am Post subject:

Actually, The best way to dry a horn is with an air compressor. You blow out all the water from the inside of the horn then blow dry the outside. Then you polish with one of those commercial polishing cloths. The kind that has a chem treated side and a buffing side.
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_PhilPicc · Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 11:32 am Post subject:

Hair dryers will also work. When I had silver horns I used an old diaper or an old 100% cotton T-shirt.

Both of my Bb's, trumpet and cornet are gold plated so I just run them through the dishwasher with jet dry.

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trumpetmike · Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 11:42 am Post subject:

I tend to let mine air dry, when I get the chance.
The outside gets a polish when it is done (well, if you are going to clean it, you might as well make it look clean!).

When time doesn't allow for this, cotton cloths and a hair dryer have been used in the past.

There are times when I have taken it out of the bath, blew the water out of the inside, put it in the case and driven to the gig. By the time I got there it was dry.

HMHustead · Regular Member Joined: 23 Dec 2003 Posts: 73

If you use a heating source, be careful not to get the horn too hot. Hot water or air from a hair dryer can cause damage to the clear coat finish. Soft water is the best method, then dry it off with a lint free cotton T Shirt. Never use a silver polish rag too much because it is hard on the finish over time.

MaynardProdigy · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 3:32 am Post subject:

I use Bounty, the quicker picker upper
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_gmdean · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 9:06 am Post subject:

I wipe down with kitchen paper and then buff it off with the good old yellow duster, this seems to work fine with both laquer and silver. Only use the silver cloth sparingly as some are meant for tarnish on solid silver and will polish off the silver plate over time, a jewelers shop will have a silver cloth for silver plate. I learned that lesson the hard way, my flute playing girlfriend gave me a silver cloth which went right through my finger buttons in a couple of months, it was one she had spare for her flutes which are all solid silver not plated. I made things worse cos I have acid fingers so was wiping the buttons down every time I played thinking I was doing some good.

Mark

Larry Smithee · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 4399

How to dry a trumpet? Soft cloths, hair dryers, Bounty towels, air dry, air compressors, silver polshing cloths, cotton diapers. I had no idea that, first of all, drying a wet trumpet was some sort of big problem and that second, there were so many variations on the theme.

It's good to take care of your trumpet. Keep in mind that nothing lasts forever. Ask my wife if you don't believe me.
Larry

MaynardProdigy · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2004 12:52 am Post subject:

I hear that a blow torch can really dry all the water out of those, pain in the butt, hard to reach places on your horn.
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BDsop96 · Regular Member Joined: 16 Dec 2003 Posts: 11

One word.... Chamois. It's an ultra solft LINT-FREE cloth made from a fine grade leather. You can get them at Pep Boys or any auto supply store since they're typically used for drying cars without spots. I haven't tried Jet Dry, but I feel pretty sure that's not a good idea. It's a chemical that leaves a coating outside and INSIDE, in the casing which probably wouldn't meld well with valve oil, especailly with tighter tolerance pistons. I also do use a hair dryer and or compressed air for the slides, casing and pistons so they're bone-dry before re-applying new lubricant. You don't want to re-apply oil on top of water, it'll just create a barrier between the oil and the friction surfaces it's supposed to protect. Hope this helps, happy washing : )
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It's All Technique · Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2004 5:44 am Post subject:

100% cotton towel or old t-shirt. Refrain from using any paper based products, they can give you fine scratches in the finish if you're not careful.
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WUG · Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2004 10:39 am Post subject:

Hi Chris (BDsop96),
The point you made about the Jet Dry leaving a chemical film on the surface is one that I never considered. Although, if there is some residual chemical that is left after the surface is rinsed and dried it is probably in the order of thickness in Angstroms and the valve clearances are in tenths of thousandths of an inch, which is a huge gap by comparison. I don't beleive that there is any way that can affect the valve action due to interference. I wouldn’t use Jet Dry on the valves, just the casings (trumpet). I don’t believe that Jet Dry works like Rain X, which actually leaves a micro thin silicone film that breaks the surface tension of the water droplets. But Jet Dry DOES help rinse away leftover detergent particles and hard water minerals, so I think it’s providing more goodness than harm. But, now I’m curious and I will research to see if there is an effect due to a residual film.

But, this brings up another concern. Today’s detergents do not rinse clean like the detergents of old, mainly due to the elimination of phosphates. A lot of people on this forum suggest the use of Dawn, which probably isn’t any more effective that other dish detergents. Avoiding scented products is probably better. I’m just wondering: WHAT'S THE BEST OFF THE SHELF DETERGENT?!
Doug
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BDsop96 · Regular Member Joined: 16 Dec 2003 Posts: 11

WUG, yeah you bring up several good points, especialy about the additives detergents leave behind. I'm of course only basing my opinion of Jet Dry on a hunch and with respect to some situations I've dealt with where the smallest thing that I didn't think would matter did. Those times made me sort of "gun shy" I suppose so I really watch what I use. Definitly try and find a detergent with as few additives as possible, ie- moisturizer, scent, etc. I know that is becoming more and more of a challenging task with all the anti-bacterial, over marketed soaps out there nowadays. Eventually I plan to purchase an Ultra-sonic tank for my shop to do cleanings but at the starting price of $8,000 it'll have to wait : )
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