Trombone slide rod

[studyinjazz]

I have a slide rod but I'm not sure what to attach to it. I've heard you can just cut up a towel and wrap the pieces around. Is this a good idea?

[BGuttman]

Proper technique is to attach a piece of cheesecloth or muslin, about 1" wide (2-3 cm) by about 4 feet (1 meter 30 cm) long. Place the cloth through the eye of the trombone rod and tie a knot in it. Then wrap the cloth in a spiral around the rod. The cloth should be long enough that when you put the rod inside the slide tube you can still grab it. Insert the rod with a twisting motion to rub the cloth against the slide tube. Pull out with a twist as well.

If you go to the Edwards site, there is a video of Christan Griego (president of Edwards) showing just how he cleans and lubes a slide. I used to have this "stickied" on TTF, but for now that link is gone; you'll have to find it yourself.

Here's the video:

[Bonearzt]

Proper technique is to attach a piece of cheesecloth or muslin, about 1" wide (2-3 cm) by about 4 feet (1 meter 30 cm) long. Place the cloth through the eye of the trombone rod and tie a knot in it. Then wrap the cloth in a spiral around the rod. The cloth should be long enough that when you put the rod inside the slide tube you can still grab it. Insert the rod with a twisting motion to rub the cloth against the slide tube. Pull out with a twist as well.
If you go to the Edwards site, there is a video of Christan Griego (president of Edwards) showing just how he cleans and lubes a slide. I used to have this "stickied" on TTF, but for now that link is gone; you'll have to find it yourself.
Here's the video:

I'd skip the knot & just pull the corner through the eye & wrap under the remainder layering until it fits fairly snuggly into the tube.

Be careful not to push into the crook! Easy to poke a dent from the inside if the end of the rod comes through the cloth.
Push on the rod & pull on the cloth, this avoids the possibility of the cloth folding over on itself & getting stuck or creating a bulge in the tubing.

Eric

[greenbean]

"Push on the rod & pull on the cloth..."

This part is important.

[FeelMyRath]

Get a slide-o-mix sheath. Much easier.

[Pre59]

Get a slide-o-mix sheath. Much easier.

I've got 2 of these, I've shortened them so that the surplus doesn't gather at the hand end, and wound a little gaffer tape at the far end of the rod to get a really tight fit into the slide.

It's also important not to use the rod into the m/p receiver, use a brush to avoid damage to the leadpipe.

[baileyman]

Only the first couple inches of cloth do any work.

You can slide the rod in then spin the slide around it which makes a nice knot to push against the inside surface and then pull out.

Nearly all the work is done with one pull.

[afugate]

[snip]... and wound a little gaffer tape at the far end of the rod to get a really tight fit into the slide.

I'm going to try doing this on my traditional cleaning rod.

It's also important not to use the rod into the m/p receiver, use a brush to avoid damage to the leadpipe.

yep...

--Andy in OKC