Saxophones Pork Tales: Saxophone Repair DIY Adventures.

Life around the barn.

Tales from a pig that likes to stick his nose into everything.

Paint that S. How difficult could it be ?

1) Search the net.
2) Find the color.
3) Order color.
4) Study task on University of YouTube, aka; For destruction by DYI presented by pro tech.

Do the cleaning & prep.

Paint and cleanup / detail the edges with hard cotton swabs. Sounds easy……

Yeah tha guy Matt makes it look easy.
Anyone remember your first experience cooking bacon crispy while still in the frying pan !

 

[PigSquealer]

The PTFE tubing fix works extremely well - as well as being a fast, cheap and reliable fix. There's another kind of tubing I use - the name of which I can't recall offhand 'cos it's about six miles long - but it's denser than PTFE. Not that I've noticed much difference in application because the forces involved are so small. This is why stuffing the barrels with cork works...though only for a while.

Perhaps the greatest improvement that can be made to Ultra-Cheap Chinese sopranos is to upgrade the top stack rod screw. Sopranos have very little tolerance of play or wear in the top stack - and the design of the keys makes swedging difficult and largely ineffective. Reaming out the pillars and keys and fitting an oversized rod screw (typically 2.62mm on these horns) makes a huge difference to the reliability of the stack.

Oddly both the units I recently worked on were low mileage but over 20 years old. The PTFE material Vs cork is a great upgrade. Still Ya have to deal with each scenario on a need to make happen environment as you know…

 

[Stephen Howard]

Oddly both the units I recently worked on were low mileage but over 20 years old. The PTFE material Vs cork is a great upgrade. Still Ya have to deal with each scenario on a need to make happen environment as you know…

Aye, true enough.

 

[pgboyd]

First test on dirty metal went well. I do need to adjust my technique and timing some. This little bugger puts out a bunch of heat.
Solder with 6% silver. Acid paste flux.
View attachment 33557
I was happy that I didn’t overheat the base metal. It’s stuck together and won’t bend ! Overheating will soften brass. Note the rose color from heat.
View attachment 33558

More practice is needed before a live job is done. It’s a worthy tool to have. Just don’t buy a cheapo like this one.
View attachment 33559

Great idea practicing on brass blanks. You’re so smart 😊

 

[PigSquealer]

Have a bent key barrel ?

Some ideas below for the longer ones with pivot screws. On a hollow barrel with steel rod I do by hand.

On a jewelers anvil the high point can be knocked down with a soft faced / plastic hammer. Working around the spring cradle can be challenging. Plastic or wood blocks can help.

I made these from a block of polypropylene. Drill the holes then saw in half.

Lay the highest area up and give it a good smart shot. Plastic, urethane or rubber hammer. Not steel. Sometimes I go indirectly. This by resting the above blocks, another mallet or block of wood at the strike area. The hit that instead of directly on the part.

Hit and rotate 1/4 turn. View and work the part until it rolls reasonably true on the flat surface.

 

[PigSquealer]

Another method is a bit more advanced and requires a vise, the above green blocks and / or bits of wood.

Clamp as shown with really light squeeze. The part needs to able to rotate. Make sure the spring cleat clears everything.

Rotate the part until a tight spot is detected on the single pressure point. This is the highest point and where you squeeze the vise. Go easy on the squeeze moves. Keep rotating and working until the part rotates 360° on even feel and visually true.

Be patient. Don’t be shy to get creative.

 

[PigSquealer]

It took me longer to post than straightening the part.

 

[Stephen Howard]

I love these techniques - what I call 'shonky setups'. It's about using whatever will get the job done, and done well.
Here's one of mine.
I needed to straighten a bent octave pin key arm - one with a dirty great hole in it for the swivel arm. Putting it on blocks and giving it a whack looked to be a very risky proposition, and there was no easy way to get it into my small press. Plus I needed to avoid bending the key barrel.
Shonky setup time!

The radius of my ER16 mini collet chuck was just the right size to cover the length of the pin arm - and a block of hardwood on the tool post gave me a way of gently easing the arm back into alignment...and the collet chuck preserved the integrity of the key barrel.

 

[mark_addy]

It took me longer to post than straightening the part.
View attachment 33714
View attachment 33715
View attachment 33716

I like it. But I still play on scruffier reeds than that 🙂

 

[PigSquealer]

@Stephen Howard ever use a claw hammer to make an adjustment 🤦‍♂️

 

[Stephen Howard]

Oh my. Oh very my!

 

[Tonehole]

How are you so fourtunate to come upon such nasty horns?
What did you do to deserve these horns?

 

[PigSquealer]

How are you so fourtunate to come upon such nasty horns?
What did you do to deserve these horns?

It’s currently on auction. People ask me questions about service work on some real gems.

 

[Tuppertn]

People ask me questions about service work on some real gems.

Like what?!

"Um, the nail is a little bent. If I win the auction do you think you could straighten it for me?"

 

[Tonehole]

How many hours would you need to restore this Coprolite?

 

[PigSquealer]

Like what?!

"Um, the nail is a little bent. If I win the auction do you think you could straighten it for me?"

No. More like what rust remover I recommend and if the steel epoxy is original 🤦‍♂️

How many hours would you need to restore this Coprolite?

This is a Conn pre Chu ‘Pre SN# 145xxx from what I see. No front F. My reply was inline with the late Carl Sagin.”Billions and billions”. Or start a DIY thread 🙄…or plan on 100+ hours of shop time @ $85 including tech abuse fees. Honestly this is a $2200 restoration.
For reference, I sent full details on a 1957 Selmer MK Vi tenor mechanical restoration to a friend last year.
Pictures included.
The detailed reply….. you’re crazy doing this under $8500.
This pile, would you spend $35/hr to help?

 

[PigSquealer]

A bit of dent work requested on a 1958-61 Conn 16M bow area.

 

[PigSquealer]

The horn shows signs of TLC needs. It’s also a donation instrument to a Praise Worship band.
It needs to work well and be presentable on stage.

 

[PigSquealer]

I did take a moment to review the crook.
Not much was was required by the local bacon spannerman to aquire a good state of nick !

Usable to give it a test go ? Yes. Department store showcase window worthy? Well that depends on wots in your tea….
Shaun is always optimistic. Wallace is a good chap whose back is covered by a loyal Grommet. Damm dude !, just pass the blueberry Wensleydale and I’ll wash it down with me coffee 🙄
I’ll make work🤪

Would someone please pass the sugar….

 

[PigSquealer]

Without removing the bow there’s only so much you can iron out. In person it look better than the pictures.
At least it doesn’t look like goofball.

 

[PigSquealer]

This is why a $16 generic tenor set from Amazombie will not fit. On the left are close to a 16M set. Remember “set kits” are not exact.
On the right is the sizes from the generic set. Besides the diameters being off they’re too thick @ 4.7mm. A Conn usually requires 4.0mm.