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lmaraya
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Dec 2005
Posts: 618
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 Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 7:02 am Post subject: Re: Ultra Pure lamp oil |
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| Tony Scodwell wrote: | I've chimed in here a few times on "my" valve oil formula. Actually it was given to me by the great lead trumpet player Billy Hodges and I will list the formula again:
For each ounce of "Ultra Pure" lamp oil add 10 drops of "Break Free" gun clip oil. Target sells the Ultra Pure oil under their own name but it will always say "Ultra Pure" 100% pure parafin oil made by Lamplighter Farms in Wisconsin on the back label. They also make an oil with citronella in it but it is stinky and not pure parafin. The "Break Free" gun clip oil comes in a spray can and you can spray it all into a bottle and hold it that way. "Break Free" is available at Big 5 sporting goods and I've seen it at Walmart in the sporting goods department. If you need a thicker oil for older valves, just add twenty drops "Break Free" per ounce of "Ultra Pure". By the way, this "Ultra Pure" is a registered name and not to be confused with the commercial valve oil of the same name.
I have been making this oil for years and yes, it's cheap to make. It's also better than any oil I've ever used and that is the reason for using it. The only drawback is a tendency to accumulate a curly cue of residue in the crooks and ports if you don't clean your horn on a regular basis, which is not really a problem at all if you clean your horn at least once a month.
Tony Scodwell
Scodwell USA Trumpets and Flugelhorns available in the US only from Washington Music Center, call Lee Walkowich at 301.946.8808 or now in Europe at Musik-Bertram, Freiburg, Germany. |
Would it be the same to use "Rem gun oil" instead of the break free, I have not being able to find break free in Costa Rica, only remington gun oil!!!
Thanks Tony. |
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Capt.Kirk
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Joined: 24 Feb 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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Ok how about this one gallon of synthetic valve oil would set you back $495 or more dollars and regular valve oil at price per gallon is over $200. I computed it once but I am feeling lazy at this moment...... So you can make your own gallon of valve oil for under $30 but hey price is no object I know a lot of you guys like to spend 10X more then you have to for a product that is not any better then you can make for 1/10th the cost. Personally I have never had more money then brains but I know it is a very common thing! The world is full of people that like to over pay for things.
On top of that no one on this site can put up any hard number's for wear, corrosion resistance or viscosity of their products they currently use! I doubt anyone of you can even tell us what base stock is used to make up your current trumpet oil. I am the only person that has posted any number's at all or research on valve oils and that is all from the now gone Pro-Chem copany.
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Tony Scodwell
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Joined: 17 Oct 2005
Posts: 1961
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:55 am Post subject: Numbers |
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No hard numbers, but my first horn built in 1988 is using my oil formula on a regular basis and shows no wear or corrosion what so ever. Just as much "pop" from pulling the slides as new and the valves continue to work smooth and fast. I do think I got robbed paying $9.99 for a gallon of Lamplight Farms "Ultra Pure" lamp oil in a Target closeout, and the ten bucks for a bottle of "BreakFree" clip oil seemed like way too much for several years worth at ten drops per ounce.
Tony Scodwell
Scodwell USA Trumpets and Flugelhorns available only from Washington Music Center, call Lee Walkowich at 301.946.8808. |
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jiarby
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Joined: 08 Jul 2011
Posts: 1188
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:51 am Post subject: |
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Hey Tony...
I have a question about the mix you posted.
Is that 1 FLUID oz of Ultra Pure to 10 drops of Break Free, or are you weighing it?
What kind of bottle do you use for the Break Free? Seems like the drop size could vary quite a bit depending on the bottle used.
What does this stuff smell like?? I hate the blue juice smell! |
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Tony Scodwell
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Joined: 17 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:18 pm Post subject: Liquid ounces |
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That's one liquid ounce of lamp oil and add ten drops BreakFree per. I use an old fashioned eyedropper [glass tube and rubber bulb]. I really don't think it's that scientific but I try to stay close. BreakFree doesn't have much smell at all and when mixed, the oil is quite neutral smelling. I have been known to add a smidge of lavender oil for a different touch.
Tony Scodwell
Scodwell USA Trumpets and Flugelhorns available only from Washington Music Center, call Lee Walkowich at 301.946.8808. |
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goldenhornplayer
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Joined: 22 Nov 2001
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Location: Winston-Salem, NC
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| Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 1:48 pm Post subject: |
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Or, if you're mixing up larger quantities, you can use 32:1 as a ratio guideline. For example, if you want to make a quart, use 1 oz. BF and 32 oz. UP Lamp Oil.
BTW, Tony, you were so right about this formula. It's such a good valve oil. There is no smell, it is fast, and it lasts. What's not to like, right?
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ChopsGone
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Joined: 20 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 6:51 am Post subject: |
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| Accordion Ron wrote: | Can't see where co$t is a big factor in valve oil. A little bottle last for months. Any one tried whale oil.....  |
For much of the world, sperm whale oil is no longer available (CITES ended most of the trade in it). At one time, you could simply order a can of it from your friendly MOPAR racing division, but no more. There has been some success in synthesizing the stuff - I believe at least one brand of ATF uses such a product.
Personally, I like UltraPure (valve oil, not lamp oil) and Hetman's, and have too many other things to do to worry about blending my own oils.
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Accordion Ron
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Joined: 26 Dec 2005
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Location: Haverhill, Ma
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| Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 9:49 am Post subject: |
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| I'll go with Hetman's! The whale oil was a joke son! |
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jadmazzer
Regular Member
Joined: 09 Nov 2009
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 3:47 pm Post subject: lamp oil |
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| I used ultra-pure lamp oil in all my horns for years with no problems until I started playing a Schilke. The valves stated sticking after a few weeks. Anyone who plays a Schilke can tell you, Schilke valves never stick. So I switched to Hetman #1 very thin oil. The problem went away. Schilkes have very close valve tolerance. |
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Robert Rowe
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Joined: 18 Apr 2004
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Location: Chincoteague, Virginia
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| Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 4:11 pm Post subject: Re: Ultra Pure lamp oil |
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| Tony Scodwell wrote: | I've chimed in here a few times on "my" valve oil formula. Actually it was given to me by the great lead trumpet player Billy Hodges and I will list the formula again:
For each ounce of "Ultra Pure" lamp oil add 10 drops of "Break Free" gun clip oil. Target sells the Ultra Pure oil under their own name but it will always say "Ultra Pure" 100% pure parafin oil made by Lamplighter Farms in Wisconsin on the back label. They also make an oil with citronella in it but it is stinky and not pure parafin. The "Break Free" gun clip oil comes in a spray can and you can spray it all into a bottle and hold it that way. "Break Free" is available at Big 5 sporting goods and I've seen it at Walmart in the sporting goods department. If you need a thicker oil for older valves, just add twenty drops "Break Free" per ounce of "Ultra Pure". By the way, this "Ultra Pure" is a registered name and not to be confused with the commercial valve oil of the same name.
I have been making this oil for years and yes, it's cheap to make. It's also better than any oil I've ever used and that is the reason for using it. The only drawback is a tendency to accumulate a curly cue of residue in the crooks and ports if you don't clean your horn on a regular basis, which is not really a problem at all if you clean your horn at least once a month.
Tony Scodwell
Scodwell USA Trumpets and Flugelhorns available in the US only from Washington Music Center, call Lee Walkowich at 301.946.8808 or now in Europe at Musik-Bertram, Freiburg, Germany. |
Anton -- You and I posted this up a few years ago. Similar recipes.
Kirk -- You may recall (?) I suggested the ATF additive.
I've fooled around a bit with various other additives to my own "home brew" (essentially, the same as Anton's) ... but, ultimately, the simpler formula seems to work well.
If it ain't broke ... don't fix it.
~ r2 ~
unlicensed chemist
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Tony Scodwell
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Joined: 17 Oct 2005
Posts: 1961
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| Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 5:48 am Post subject: Name |
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Up until now the only people who've called me Anton were the overseas customs people who were
looking at my passport. I'm glad we agree on the valve oil formula however.
Tony Scodwell
Scodwell USA Trumpets and Flugelhorns available in the US only from Washington Music Center, call Lee Walkowich at 301.946.8808 or now in Europe at Musik-Bertram, Freiburg, Germany. |
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razeontherock
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Joined: 05 Jun 2004
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Location: The land of GR and Getzen
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| Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 8:12 pm Post subject: Re: Lamp oil |
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| Tony Scodwell wrote: | | That reminded me about the time I put olive oil in my Holton bottle to stop Rick Baptist from using all my oil on the relief night at the Sands. |
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razeontherock
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Joined: 05 Jun 2004
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Location: The land of GR and Getzen
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| Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 8:35 pm Post subject: |
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Ok, I'm intrigued about this idea of pouring an ounce of oil in the bell and coating the interior of the horn after a cleaning. This is the type of care I expected to be taught about as a kid, and frankly I was horrified nothing like this was done.
Ultra pure lamp oil has paraffin in it? As in wax?!? And I want this collecting everywhere why?
Also, I'm sure familiar with the incompatible oil switching syndrome. If I do this with one oil, it had better be the same oil I'm using on the valves, right? Doesn't all my slide lube need to also be compatible? |
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zackh411
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Joined: 17 May 2011
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Location: Saint Louis MO
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| Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 8:47 pm Post subject: |
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I'm a big fan of Yamaha oils. The oil itself is very cheap, my valves go for quite a long time without needing oiled, they seem far snappier than they did when I used Al Cass oil, and it seems to leave no residue whatsoever, and has no smell.
Additionally, they have 3 different formulas based on your valve tolerances.
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Lead Piece: Custom PickettBrass
Jazz Piece: Custom Curry TC
Legit Piece: Yamaha Shew Jazz (18 Drill) |
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Tony Scodwell
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Joined: 17 Oct 2005
Posts: 1961
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 8:32 am Post subject: Wax build-up |
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Let's see...if you don't take a shower for, say a month or so, things '"accumulate". Not good. If you don't wash the car for a month or so, lots of crud will accumulate. Also not good. And if a month goes by and you don't clean out your trumpet, you may get enough for a pizza when you finally do. Yes, Ultra Pure lamp oil [also from the land of Getzen and GR] is 100% parafin based, and the only time I've seen any residual residue from using it is the rare occasion when I'm working on someone' s horn that uses my oil formula and is not cleaning it on a regular basis, say like every other month instead of like we should be doing. It will collect grey-ish curly cues in the slide crooks and is easy to clean out with a brush but with normal, regular cleaning intervals, this never happens. I say yet again that as it still is a free country, feel free to use whatever oil you wish. I just like the way my oil works and as it so happens, it is inexpensive to make. That alone allows me to splurge on a better grade of single malt every now and then even though my Cheese Head roots would mandate a brandy manhattan with Korbel [top shelf you know].
Tony Scodwell
Scodwell USA Trumpets and Flugelhorns available in the US only from Washington Music Center, call Lee Walkowich at 301.946.8808 or now in Europe at Musik-Bertram, Freiburg, Germany |
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razeontherock
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Location: The land of GR and Getzen
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 9:09 am Post subject: |
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Korbel Never even knew what it was til coming to WI  |
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Robert Rowe
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 9:13 am Post subject: |
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| razeontherock wrote: | | Korbel Never even knew what it was til coming to WI |
Ah, yes ... Korbel  ....
Got me off of Boone's Farm. 
~ r2 ~
frugal dude
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John Mohan
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Joined: 13 Nov 2001
Posts: 9830
Location: Chicago, Illinois
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 10:40 am Post subject: Re: lamp oil? |
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| Jeff wrote: | Has anyone here ever tried using lamp oil (very thin) rather than valve oil packaged specifically for trumpeters?
I tried it on the advice of a couple of players, and my valves work better than ever. |
Back when I was in High School I did this for a while (lamp oil for my valves). I did it mainly because I liked the scent of a particular lamp oil. It seemed to work fine for the valves. Later, I switched to the red valve ("Musichem"?) that was popular in the early '80's and then to Al Cass which I've used ever since.
Lamp Oil, like most valve oils is mainly Kerosene, so I don't think any harm can come of it.
Best wishes,
John Mohan |
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razeontherock
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Location: The land of GR and Getzen
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 11:10 am Post subject: Re: lamp oil? |
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| John Mohan wrote: |
Lamp Oil, like most valve oils is mainly Kerosene, so I don't think any harm can come of it.
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Do you pack a fire extinguisher for those burning passages? (Sorry, couldn't resist) |
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homebilly
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Location: Venice, CA & Paris, France
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| Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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so I went to targé (target) to get me some Ultra Pure but they don't carry it anymore. none at Walmart or Ace hardware. any ideas?
I did see the break free CLP at big five for $3.99 though.
I'll pick that up tomorrow.
Walmart has that class III flammable lamp oil but I don't want that stuff.
ron
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