Repair: Brass Instruments
- Take Care of the Exterior. The finish on your instrument needs care, too. Most brasswinds are either lacquered or silver-plated.
- Caring for the Mouthpiece. If the shank (small end tip) is dented, have the dent removed as soon as possible. See photo G. ...
- Inspect the Case. Often neglected, ensure the case is in good shape. ...
What do you use to repair big brass instruments?
- Always use the right tool for the dent. Never use a larger dent ball than necessary.
- Insert tools into instruments slowly and carefully.
- Avoid stretching the metal.
What is used to repair brass musical instruments?
Standard Overhaul - Complete Restoration
- Includes all items in General Service above, plus we will restore your instrument as close to like-new condition as possible.
- lacquered instruments will be professionally relacquered.
- silver-plated instruments will be professionally re-plated.
- gold plate is available, pricing will be determined by market value of gold.
- parts are not included.
How to tune a brass instrument?
Can you learn to play in tune/with good intonation?
- The first step is to sing everything that you play before you play it. ...
- Understand what is going on around your own part. ...
- Learn your scales and practice them in lots of different ways, for example you could try crab scales, scales in thirds, in fourths and octaves. ...
- Aim to learn the music you play in different keys and tonalities. ...
What is brass instrument restoration?
Restoration
- BAC Full Restoration. - The instrument is professionally cleaned using a two-part deep cleaning process and chemical treatment.
- Case. In addition, we are a ProTech Case dealer. With our B.A.C. ...
- Timeline. As for the timeline, we now have a dedicated department for restoration and modifications. ...
What kind of solder is used on brass instruments?
The most commonly used solders in brass musical instrument work are60Sn-40Pb, 70Sn-30Pb. It is up to you to try these and see which works best. You effect the strength of the soldered joint by the amount of lead or tin content.
How do you restore brass instruments?
Directions for Cleaning Brass Instruments:Disassemble the instrument. Remove all valves to the instrument, pull all slides and remove valve cap bottoms. ... Apply Simple Green Pro HD RTU. Spray Simple Green Pro HD RTU onto the surface of the instrument, and into any open spaces.Scrub. ... Rinse. ... Dry. ... Polish. ... Reassemble.
How do you fix a hole in brass?
0:011:30Brass Repair Made Easy. And Copper. Bronze. Aluminum. In ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd flux working on a piece of brass with a hole in it. This rod works at 350 degrees holds 20,000MoreAnd flux working on a piece of brass with a hole in it. This rod works at 350 degrees holds 20,000 psi watch your flux I'm putting the flux on right now I just dipped my rod into the flux.
Can you refinish brass instruments?
Brass instruments can become tarnished over time. Brass instrument restoration is the process of putting any brass instrument such as a trumpet or trombone back into its original playing condition. The process focuses primarily on getting the instrument to produce a suitable sound with ease.
Is Brasso good for instruments?
The abrasives in Brasso are not proper for use on musical instruments.
How do you clean heavily tarnished brass?
Lemon and Baking Soda Polish Combine the juice of half a lemon with a teaspoon of baking soda and stir until it becomes a paste. Apply the paste with a soft cloth. If the tarnish is heavy, let the piece sit with the paste on it for 30 minutes. Rinse with warm water and dry.
Can brass be repaired?
Aside from its atypical material, brass jewelry takes the same amount of time as other repair services. For repairs such as ring sizing and soldering, the turnaround time is 1 to 3 days. The cost is priced the same as a gold item repair, due to the material the jeweler will use in order to fix it.
What is the best solder to use for brass?
If you have done any electronic soldering you probably used a lead based solder. This is fine for soldering electronic components together but isn't really strong enough, nor does it give a great bond, to copper and brass. Your best option is to use a silver solder.
How do you glue brass to brass?
For bonding brass, the options are open as the metal is rather easy to bond and many metal glues adhere well to it. The options include: CYANOACRYLATE SYSTEMS – When bonding pads to musical instruments cyanoacrylate super glue is a preferred option. The strongest glue for metal often is methyl cyanoacrylates.
Can you paint a brass instrument?
Also, spray paint for plated brass is available at most hardware and home improvement stores. This paint may be better suited to your project and give your trumpet a better long-lasting finish.
How do you restore a brass trumpet?
0:102:29Best Way to Clean a Trumpet - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd add a squirt or two of dish soap. The water should be lukewarm to the touch not too hot not tooMoreAnd add a squirt or two of dish soap. The water should be lukewarm to the touch not too hot not too cold lay a towel down in the tub so the trumpet doesn't dent on the hard surface.
How do you restore a brass trombone?
Get an acidic brass polish from the store, or alternatively use lime juice, vinegar, or even ketchup. Apply the polishing agent and wait several minutes. Wipe down the trombone gently with a damp cloth. Repeat if some tarnish remains.
How do you restore old brass?
Mix ½ cup of baking soda with 1 cup of white vinegar to create a paste (you can also add 2 tbsp of table salt if your piece is badly tarnished). The paste will fizz for a few seconds. Once the paste has stopped fizzing, rub on to your brass hardware in circular motions with a toothbrush.
How do you remove green oxidation from brass?
Use a salt-and-vinegar mixture with one cup of white vinegar and one tablespoon salt. The mixture will create a paste that you can rub on your brass to remove the green coloring. After the green oxidation has been completely removed, you can rub a little olive oil on your brass to make it shine like new.
How do you clean and polish brass naturally?
Vinegar, Salt and Flour Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt into one half-cup of vinegar, and add flour until the mixture becomes a paste. Rub into the brass, leave for about ten minutes, then rinse with warm water and buff dry. Vinegar on its own is a powerful cleaner.
Does WD-40 clean brass?
We like to use WD-40. It is not only very easy to use, but is also quick and very effective. All you need to do is coat the gold and brass lamp with a layer of WD-40, which is a great to clean brass and let it sit for about 15-30 minutes.
How to care for brass instruments?
Despite the fact that they’re made of metal, brass instruments are easily susceptible to structural damage if they’re not well taken care of. Treat your instrument with respect , and keep it in a study case when you’re not playing it . Additionally, be sure to keep your instrument and case in a place ...
How important is it to take care of brass instruments?
is extremely important. Proper care can extend the life of the instrument by many years and will protect the quality of sound that the instrument is able to produce.
How often should you oil a trombone?
If you’re a trombone player, you’ll want to make sure to always blow all moisture out of the instrument before storing. You should also lock the slide when you’re not playing, as it will prevent you from moving the outer slide. Applying slide oil once a week is recommended for young players.
How to use slide cream on trombone?
More mature trombone players should use slide cream and water. The correct way to apply slide cream is to pull the inner hand slide almost all the way out before applying the cream only on the very bottom edge of the inner slide. Much like with a trumpet, there’s a trombone cleaning rod available which can help to clean deeper in the outer slide. ...
How to prevent corrosion on guitar?
One great place you can do this is in a bathtub. Start by filling the tub with lukewarm water and a mild soap. Avoid using detergent. Before submerging your instrument, you should remove all tuning slides, unscrew the top and bottom valve caps, and remove the valves.
How to avoid accumulation of nasty materials in your instrument?
If you want to avoid accumulation of nasty materials in your instrument, make sure to rinse your mouth or brush your teeth before playing. Food particles can easily build up in the instrument. It’s for this reason that you should also avoid eating, drinking, or chewing gum while you’re playing.
Can you leave brass instruments on the floor?
For example, you wouldn’t want to leave the instrument or case on the floor where people might be walking. Another place you should never leave your instrument is in a hot car. Placing a brass instrument inside of a hot car or a trunk can seriously damage it because brass instruments, like most instruments, are susceptible to the effects ...
How often should I clean brass valves?
Valves should be oiled regularly, and it’s a good idea to wipe off old slide grease and apply a fresh coat once a week or so. Trombone is the only brass instrument that changes pitch by using a slide instead of valves.
Where is the brass instrument in Uptown Music Exchange?
Located at 5434 Magazine Street, inside Uptown Music Exchange. If you still have a question or are looking to get started with your brass instrument, sign up for lessons with us at NOLA School of Music!
How often do horns change?
Unfortunately, these horns experience an incredibly high rate of corrosion, are wildly inconsistent, and are built to wildly varying degrees of specification, sometimes changing manufacturing plants multiple times a year in order to keep costs down.
Do rotor valves need lubrication?
Rotor valves are a bit more intricate, and require a degree of care when doing maintenance. Proper lubrication involves removing the rotor bearing and the rotor arm, and so I usually advise young musicians to come in for a demonstration of proper maintenance.
Can you clean brass instruments?
Yes, you most certainly can! Generally speaking, brass instruments are pretty straightforward in terms of regular cleaning and at-home maintenance. Because there are so few “soft” materials in their construction (things we see on woodwinds like pads, felts, and corks), we can be pretty aggressive in how we bathe them.
Do brass horns need to be lubricated?
However, it’s important to remember that brass instruments are like any other piece of metal; they don’t love prolonged exposure to water, and they love lubricants. So when reassembling, it’s important to fully dry your horn and properly lubricate with slide grease and valve oil in the appropriate spots.
How to protect brass after polishing?
After you polish the brass, you will want to protect it by applying a protective coating to the surface. Try using a high-gloss urethane or UV-resistant clear lacquer to the brass object. Apply 3 or 4 coats of lacquer to the item, allowing the lacquer to dry completely between coats.
How to remove old finish from brass?
You can also use steel wool, but this may scratch the surface of the brass object. Scrub the brass object until all of the old finish is removed. Clean the brass with hot, soapy water. Once you successfully remove the old finish from the brass, fill a sink with hot water and mild dish soap.
How to clean brass with vinegar?
Try pouring white vinegar directly on the brass object. Then sprinkle the surface of the object with table salt. Allow the salt and vinegar to sit on the object for about 5 minutes. Then use a wet cloth to wipe down the brass. Finally, wash the brass with hot, soapy water, rinse, and dry with a soft cloth.
How to polish brass with lemon?
Make a polish with lemon and cream of tartar. Combine one part lemon juice with two parts cream of tartar. Mix the ingredients together with a spoon until they form a paste. Apply the paste to the brass object and let sit for 30 minutes. After half an hour, rinse with warm water.
How to make brass ring shiny?
Cut a lemon in half and remove the seeds. Then sprinkle salt on the flesh of the lemon. Rub the lemon directly on the brass object and polish with a soft cloth until shiny. Once the object is shiny, wash with hot soapy water, rinse with cool water, and dry with a soft cloth.
How to clean tarnished brass?
First, remove old finish from the brass with a standard paint stripper. Once you remove the old clear coat, wash the brass with hot soapy water. Then polish the brass using a lemon or vinegar solution.
How to protect brass from re-lacquer?
If you do not want to re-lacquer the brass, you can protect it with a coat of oil. Apply lemon oil or olive oil to a soft, dry cloth. Then use the cloth to apply a thin layer of oil to the brass object. Make sure you apply a very thin coat over the entire surface.
