stchasking

I will repeat myself. Make ten custom horns and take them to the 2009 trumpet guild conference. Sell them for $4000.00 each. Thats $40000.00

Jim

miles71

If you want to experiment with weights on the horn go get some lead tape at a golf shop and stick it on the horn, Cheap way to see what it does.

I wrapped about 2 pounds of lead solder around a mouthpiece once, talk about a funny feel.

TD

ALLCHOPS

I'll pay $51.00 + shipping...

TG

Jimi Michiel

Brekelefuw-

It looks like you have a really good combination of curiosity and creativity--I hope you post a sound file of your creation soon. Bravo!

-Jimi

Phil Kersh

I took the whole trumpet apart and scratch brushed the entire bell as well as the leadpipe and tuning slides. I then reassembled and started making new braces. Here is what it looks like now

Tell me what you're doing to scratch brush the instrument? What tools are you using? I have also toyed with the idea of an alternative finish on my horn, but I am way to inexperienced (or cautious) to act before I know what I'm doing.

Share with us some of your tools of the trade. I'm sure we don't want you to give up any trade secrets, but I also believe there are some things creative people can do themselves.

Brekelefuw

We have a large scratch brush wheel for our buffing machines at school. It is a large wooden block with a threaded taper to mount on the buffing machine. In the wooden block are long brass bristles that are really soft.
To do the inside of the bell I used the scratch brush as best as I could, and I also bought two different shapes of brass brushes for my Dremel tool, although I found that it wasn't nearly as consistant of a finish, and took much longer to do.
I have seen similar looking brass brushes at the local hardware store for very cheap that could be mounted in a bench motor or drill, but I don't know how stiff the bristles are. You would want to go with something very fine so you don't damage the instrument and remove too much brass.

I have read that Scotchbrite pads work decently for this as well. I think the fine grade ones, but I have never tried it.

tedh1951

Be wary of wire brushes of any sort - the little mongrels always find a way of biting you - either they fling bits of wire stuff at you - or they pick up the piece yur working and , with gusto, use you as a target - ouch, ouch, ouch.

Scotchbrite works well - even on relatively hard stainless steel - this stuff looks like plastic but be careful, it is designed to scour. Numerous grades are available from coarse (blue) through red, green, and white - fine (as I recall). These products are used extensively in aircraft maintenance and in the kitchen (or so I'm told). Cut into 3" x 3" (75mm x 75mm) squares and jam a 1032 bolt through the middle. Use penny washers on either side and run on a self locking nut - tight. Stick it in the drill, earmuffs, faceshield, leather gloves, and away you go.

Cornet1

'Scotchcloth' and 'scotchbrite' work very well but the problem is that the finish varies according to how 'used' the scotchcloth is. When the stuff is well used it becomes gentler and gives a more bead blast finish which is much easier to control. The best way to age scotchcloth is to hammer it lightly on a hard surface. This breaks down the texture so that it is not so agressive. After youhave been using it for a while you get a feel for the right texture for your purpose. The best method is to cut the sheets up into small squares about 2 inches square and strips about 4 inches long by 1 inch, after you have aged the sheets. When the piece no longer gives the right finish, throw it away and use the next piece.

Phil Kersh

Okay, I think I'm getting a better idea. For those of you who are experienced "Scotchbrite" users, which color or coarseness do you prefer? Do you used the drill method or would you rather age the finish by hand?

tedh1951

Phil, I've had another think about the grades and I think I have mislead you. The grades go Blue, green, red, white in descending order of coarseness. I have used the red grade extensively on aluminium (3" squares with the bolt) - blue seems to be used to scour bathroom floors, and green is often used for household dishwashing (that's for those of you that don't use a dishwashing machine), red works well when "grinding" corrosion out of aluminium aircraft skins - so I would begin with the white grade if you can get it - it will need less 'aging' than the rest, and it is a finer weave than the others. This is the grade I use for washing up (oops, now the secret is out).