Tuning Slide Cutdown DIY?

[ericrich]

Hi all,

Has anyone successfully cut down your own tuning slide? I live in an area where access to a decent repair shop involves a significant drive. If it just involves 2-3 careful cuts with a hacksaw, I might consider it. I just purchased a 1954 Olds Recording in great condition, but there is the common issue with low pitch. The tone on this horn s excellent, but I can barely get close to 440 with the tuning slide all the way in and 1st position up against the top. All of the mouthpieces I've tried seem to seat pretty well about 1" into the receiver, so I don't think it's the typical Olds "weird receiver" issue.

Any insights would be appreciated.

TIA,
Eric

[ithinknot]

If it just involves 2-3 careful cuts with a hacksaw, I might consider it.

Try 4


Anyway... it is what it looks like, so there's an element of If You Have To Ask... I mean, how good are you at This Sort of Thing more generally? It's not just cutting, there's deburring and levelling the cut afterwards, correcting any out-of-round distortion, and chamfering the edges inside and out.

Try making and tidying up a really nice square cut on some plumbing scrap first - go around, not across in one go - and be honest with yourself. If you can't make it look as good as it came out of the factory, it's a job for someone else.

On a Recording at least you don't have any trim rings to resolder afterwards.

[ericrich]

If it just involves 2-3 careful cuts with a hacksaw, I might consider it.

Try 4


Anyway... it is what it looks like, so there's an element of If You Have To Ask... I mean, how good are you at This Sort of Thing more generally? It's not just cutting, there's deburring and levelling the cut afterwards, correcting any out-of-round distortion, and chamfering the edges inside and out.

Try making and tidying up a really nice square cut on some plumbing scrap first - go around, not across in one go - and be honest with yourself. If you can't make it look as good as it came out of the factory, it's a job for someone else.

On a Recording at least you don't have any trim rings to resolder afterwards.

Thx for the honest input. Maybe I'll wait till my next trip to the pro shop.

[harrisonreed]

Techs need work to make money. If you're not a tech, you should hire one.

[elmsandr]

First thoughts, it’s a couple of cuts.. but you want the right tool. Not quite your rough hacksaw, I’d suggest a jewelers saw or a rotary tool. I usually use my rotary.

Next, practice. You can start on some plumbing tubing.. but the thin wall stuff in trombones is different and easier to screw up. Your first cut probably won’t look too good. Learn on something before doing one you want people to see.

Cleaning the cuts, do you have a deburring knife, files, stone, and maybe a buffing wheel? These may all come in handy.

Not terribly hard, I’d love for more people who have apptitude to learn and do these things. Lot more common in the Tuba world. But do NOT start cutting something you aren’t willing to spend to replace.

Cheers,
Andy

[timothy42b]

But do NOT start cutting something you aren’t willing to spend to replace.

Cheers,
Andy

So basically buy another trombone first just in case.

[ericrich]

Thanks for the Real World Input, all. Given that my typical response to all but the most basic Home Repair situations is, “Honey, just call The Guy. I’m too busy teaching/writing/playing…”…I will wait until I can get to my local professional repair tech (who does happen to be excellent, just 135 miles away.)
Peace,
E

[blap73]

Buy some brass tubing on Amazon or eBay (or some good hardware stores have 'hobby metals'). Practice on that. Copper plumbing pipe cuts different than thin wall brass does.

[BaronVonBone]

Or you can go full Rock & Roll and wrap the mess with duck tape.

[Kbiggs]

Techs need work to make money. If you're not a tech, you should hire one.

If you REALLY want to support your local tech: 1. Take it into the shop and ask them to make the cuts. 2. Get it home and decide it needs “improvement.” 3. Totally f*&%-up the horn. 4. Take it back to the shop to be fixed.

I’m sure the tech will appreciate your contribution to their retirement fund.

[spencercarran]

This is one of those areas where if you have to ask how to do it, you shouldn't be doing it yourself.

[BaronVonBone]

Why do you guys hate Duck Tape!?

Heh.

[elmsandr]

But do NOT start cutting something you aren’t willing to spend to replace.

Cheers,
Andy

So basically buy another trombone first just in case.

I prefer the phrase “this project is self insured.” If the parts are not replaceable…. That should change the calculations a bit on how done.

We’ve all had scenarios where we have seen a beater trombone or trumpet somewhere that is already unplayable for a few bucks… next time pick it up and learn some repair and modification. If it becomes total scrap, no harm done! Risk management for the first few repair tries. OP notes this isn’t in his wheelhouse now, with a little practice, this could be in most people’s range.

Cheers,
Andy

[elmsandr]

Why do you guys hate Duck Tape!?

Heh.

Well, it leaves too much residue.

BUT, for trimming tubes, I actually like to apply a bit of masking tape and putting a line on the tape where I want to cut. The masking tape helps hold some of the burr from the cut, making it easier to remove and contain.

There’s a strip currently on my lower main tuning slide outer marked where I want to trim it right now…. But it doesn’t cause too many problems being ~1/4” long except in the summer, so I have forgotten to trim it for the last several years…

Cheers,
Andy

[Matt K]

I had a Mt. Vernon 9 that was fabulous but not 100% what I wanted. I elected not to take a torch to it as there are not many Mt. Vernons floating around. Doing something permanent... or even not so permanent in theory... totally agree, worth not doing to something irreplacable.

[tbonesullivan]

IMHO, if there is anything you never want to DIY, it's tuning slides. If I drop one and it hits the end, I'm off to a tech so they can fix it right before I can mess it up or try to re insert it. If it's too loose or gets sprung slightly.. again, to the tech before I mess it up.

[blap73]

Well, HORROR! I just cut my own tuning slide on my FrankenOlds aka "KingOConn" (A-20, 18H, 606 mashup). I've never done this before. But with some metalworking experience, a jewler's saw, very fine blades, files, it went fine. And it cleaned up some flared out tubes (prior rough use at some school). Would I do it on a $4000 instrument? Probably not.