PPT mouthpieces
PPT mouthpieces
PPT mouthpieces
PPT mouthpieces

Tech/maintenance Bare brass temptation

MMM said:
That looks really nice: do you know if it had any effect on the toneholes (as in has the process "unlevelled" any)?
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It's not made any unlevel, if you mean like a warp? I'd noticed the bell key holes had high spots but had left these until after the blasting as I suspected the edges would be roughened by the process and to mask them would have been nigh on impossible. Here's one now...

Screenshot 2023-01-19 at 14.46.34.png


You can see the dappling effect, as on the bell close up photo. This is easily dressed off with fine emery paper, as I've just done after this photo. I'll be levelling up any warped holes and dressing them too.

It's another job to consider when using any kind of blasting. Had it been sand, grit, bead, I think the tone hole wear would have been greater. Soda blasting is done at lower pressures and is supposedly a more gentle way of removing finishes. The "look" is just a side effect, like it or not.
This blaster also does polishing and works with a plating company who can apply silver, gold, black (nickel) and cadmium plating. I didn't ask the cost! Silver plating is fairly rare now so that's useful to know.

To blast this also body, neck, guards, was £40. Wet blasting would have been £60. If you wanted the keys doing too, that's a whole different intricate kettle of fish! Fortunately the Yamaha's are nickel, in good shiny condition, with little wear or discolouration. Should be a nice combination... I hope!
 
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I applied car wax to the scrap horn's dry and wet soda blasted areas. Then polished. Applied grubby finger and smeared a dirty blotch. Then breathed on each area's grubby mark and tried to polish it off with my "well used" polishing cloth.

The dry blasted area mark wouldn't go...

20230119_152007.jpg


Whereas on the wet blasted area the mark polished away easily...

20230119_152018.jpg


Even waxed, the dry blasted area feels rough which discourages a smooth finish. This continuing roughness after waxing invites dirt to stay and once there it's not easily removed. Isopropyl alcohol gets it off but once rebuilt it'll be trouble.

The wet finish is smoother to the touch before waxing. It allows a smoother waxed finish. This seems the better option albeit 50% more expensive. I may well go back and get upgraded as I'm in no rush to rebuild this one.

Alternatively, waxing the Scotchbrite pad rubbed area gave a similarly easy to clean finish. I guess that's because I'm changing it into a smoothed finish by hand.
 
DavidUK said:
It's not made any unlevel, if you mean like a warp? I'd noticed the bell key holes had high spots but had left these until after the blasting as I suspected the edges would be roughened by the process and to mask them would have been nigh on impossible. Here's one now...

View attachment 22306

You can see the dappling effect, as on the bell close up photo. This is easily dressed off with fine emery paper, as I've just done after this photo. I'l be levelling up any warped holes and dressing them too.

It's another job to consider what using any kind of blasting. Had it been sand, grit, bead, I think the tone hole wear would have been greater. Soda blasting is done at lower pressures and is supposedly a more gentle way of removing finishes. The "look" is just a side effect, like it or not.
This blaster also does polishing and works with a plating company who can apply silver, gold, black (nickel) and cadmium plating. I didn't ask the cost! Silver plating is fairly rare now so that's useful to know.

To blast this also body, neck, guards, was £40. Wet blasting would have been £60. If you wanted the keys doing too, that's a whole different intricate kettle of fish! Fortunately the Yamaha's are nickel, in good shiny condition, with little wear or discolouration. Should be a nice combination... I hope!
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Thank you, I had not heard of soda blasting before: I wouldn't mind getting this guy's details when you have a moment, I may have some saxes I would like to polish.
 
I first heard of it on Car SOS. They take an old wreck to get it cleaned of rust, paint, etc without destroying any good metalwork.

His workshop is usually full of engine, car, and motorcycle parts waiting to go out to customers. Oddly, he used to drag race, as I did, and our competition numbers were only 7 apart. I was DCA40 (D class competition altered) he was DCA47. Small world.

Oh, and I took the precaution of buying the last set of new bumper holders yesterday off eBay. £12 posted. Just in case tiny Mickey Mouses don't suit the guards.

I'll PM his details Manlio... when you empty your inbox some.
 
The latest trend in automotive -cleaning engine bays and the like for restoration/show is blasting with dry ice which is interesting, because it uses thermal shock as well as physical force to shear deposits and clean, plus obviously there is no residue as the dry ice just evaporates to CO2. I have no idea whether this would work on saxophones. My gut says probably not as the thermal expansion rates of the different parts/materials so solder might pop off.
 
DavidUK said:
@Stephen Howard - they look like this (off the 'net) photo...

View attachment 22297

...any idea how they come out, without damaging them?
I may need to pop them out to effect a repair or glue on the glitter/plastic coloured gemstone/miniature Mickey Mouse.

Many thanks.
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Almost looks like the screw in and out from accessing the inside.
 
greenstripe said:
Not whishing to spam up this thread:

I worked in the print trade for approximately 20 years and used to handle lots of chemicals with all of their different concerns.

While acetone is not directly cocarcinogenic in pure form - in use it is quite likely that in use you will create a soup of other substances that could very well be: dissolved lacquers etc the exact formulas unknow in this case, so should be treated as such.

It is common to decant chemicals in to smaller containers to make it easier to use or apply. I used to purchase in 5 or 20 litre containers, we would put it in swan neck squeeze bottles (these are not suitable for storage!) or plunge cans (better)
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I too worked in the trade for 45 years. Total of 55 years involvement. Some of the chlorinated solvents or others like benzene you had to be real careful with. Some chemicals react immediately and others may take a day or two to see the outcome/reaction.
 
DavidUK said:
It's not made any unlevel, if you mean like a warp? I'd noticed the bell key holes had high spots but had left these until after the blasting as I suspected the edges would be roughened by the process and to mask them would have been nigh on impossible. Here's one now...

View attachment 22306

You can see the dappling effect, as on the bell close up photo. This is easily dressed off with fine emery paper, as I've just done after this photo. I'll be levelling up any warped holes and dressing them too.

It's another job to consider when using any kind of blasting. Had it been sand, grit, bead, I think the tone hole wear would have been greater. Soda blasting is done at lower pressures and is supposedly a more gentle way of removing finishes. The "look" is just a side effect, like it or not.
This blaster also does polishing and works with a plating company who can apply silver, gold, black (nickel) and cadmium plating. I didn't ask the cost! Silver plating is fairly rare now so that's useful to know.

To blast this also body, neck, guards, was £40. Wet blasting would have been £60. If you wanted the keys doing too, that's a whole different intricate kettle of fish! Fortunately the Yamaha's are nickel, in good shiny condition, with little wear or discolouration. Should be a nice combination... I hope!
Read more…
You may have some luck burnishing the chimney rims with a hard flat disk. Like those used for checking level. At least worth a try. It’s not removing any metal.
 
I've decided to go for the "upgraded" wet blasted finish, purely as it'll be easier to look after, dirt-wise. I look forward to discoloration but that's a different thing. Taking it to him next week along with two brass keys from the scrap Orsi KM, to be nickel plated as they're now on the silver Orsi Pennsylvania.

I also started polishing an aluminium Strand Pattern 23 theatre light four years ago, but didn't finish it as it got packed away for a house move. I'll take the pieces too, see what he suggests. Would quite like a satin finish. He has plenty of ali items to show me various finishes.
 

Similar threads... or are they? Maybe not but they could be worth reading anyway 😀

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