TromboneChat

How much should it cost to relacquer a neckpipe?

Cost of the can and the polish.

Chris

FOSSIL wrote: ↑Sun Sep 20, 2020 2:41 am Cost of the can and the polish.

Chris

So the tech will do the refinishing and lacquer application for free?? Dang, I don't think I have access to the technician that you do, Chris! You're lucky!

I don't have the skills or tools to so this job right. Anybody have a job like this done, recently?

I just hide it with a collar protector. I like clear vinyl tubing (like Tygon), but if it looks ugly you may want to use something that is not clear.

I'm going to try and sell the horn. I think I could get more if it looked better

You can, but not as much more as the cost of the relacquer.

Honestly, touch lacquering is a learnable skill...practise on scrap metal...mask everything you don't want to cover. Spay like a car sprayer. Personally, I would prefer an honest instrument. Leave it as is.

Chris

Fair enough!

BGuttman wrote: ↑Sun Sep 20, 2020 4:47 am I just hide it with a collar protector. I like clear vinyl tubing (like Tygon), but if it looks ugly you may want to use something that is not clear.

I cut up a plastic slide protector pack, clear plastic, and prevented further damage to four instruments. Quick, cheap and easy to do - I’m not very practical.

I've used black electrical tape since college in 1971! It's easy to apply, looks cool, and doesn't rattle around like the plastic split tubes.

bigbandbone wrote: ↑Sun Sep 20, 2020 11:54 am I've used black electrical tape since college in 1971! It's easy to apply, looks cool, and doesn't rattle around like the plastic split tubes.

My only problem with electrical tape is that it bleeds adhesive after a while. I used it for many years too. And the "friction" type is really bad -- leaves black lint on your collar.

Just buff it and leave it

Elow wrote: ↑Sun Sep 20, 2020 6:53 pm Just buff it and leave it

Green collar though...

I used to use electrical tape and it was horrible.

I have used clear rubber tubing that was cool and recently switched to cohesive tape (medical wrap).

Spot lacquer seems pretty easy to learn as long as you have a sheet & painters tape to cover necessary parts.

If you don’t want to buy the spray lacquer and do it yourself, I’ve been told that it’s cheaper to replace the neck pipe than to send it off to get lacquered. I might be mistaken though. New neck pipes might come unlacquered. It’s been so long since I’ve replaced a neck pipe.

What’s the horn? Straight horns are a lot easier. I haven’t dabbled in the dark arts of relacquering an attachment.

88HCL

i would just have it as an option for the buyer. i can check my shops price book tomorrow for a rough estimate. i can’t imagine anything over like $60 for a can lacquer job

Electrical tape. Bad idea!

WGWTR180 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 21, 2020 7:28 am Electrical tape. Bad idea!

Surprised you are so emphatic. I've used it forever on my tenors. Never had a problem. Never any adhesive bleed. Occasionally an end would start to loosen. After about a year I remove it and re-wrap. I look at it as general maintenance like cleaning and changing water key corks. One roll of tape has lasted me my entire playing life.

Different strokes for different folks. Just threw out an option for the OP.

bigbandbone wrote: ↑Mon Sep 21, 2020 8:26 am

WGWTR180 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 21, 2020 7:28 am Electrical tape. Bad idea!

Surprised you are so emphatic. I've used it forever on my tenors. Never had a problem. Never any adhesive bleed. Occasionally an end would start to loosen. After about a year I remove it and re-wrap. I look at it as general maintenance like cleaning and changing water key corks. One roll of tape has lasted me my entire playing life.

Different strokes for different folks. Just threw out an option for the OP.

As you stated different strokes. My experiences have been bad.

It's not exactly hard to do, but it's hard to do it right. Spot lacquering/ finishing is really dependent on your cleaning and masking ability.

This is how I do it, and I use Nikolas Air Dry Lacquer.

Surface prep:
1) Clean area thoroughly with soap/water to remove all of the salt, oils, etc
2) Brass Polish. Gently. I use wright's. You want one with a minimum to no abrasive. Flitz works well too.
3) Clean area again.
4) OPTIONAL: get a little Rouge buffing compound on a cloth, and buff a bit for a nice shine. If you do this, wash it again.

Spraying Prep:
1) Mask off the area you do not want lacquer on. It floats and will get everywhere. This also depends on what part of the instrument you are spot lacquering. If I am doing a spot on an outer slide, I usually don't mask anything. Most of my touchup work has been on outer slides, and inner slide grips.

2) Shake lacquer VERY WELL, and then spray the area you want. ONLY A LITTLE. The lacquer coat on brass instruments should be VERY thin. This isn't a guitar where you are going to want a bunch of coats. If you see drips, you sprayed too much. If you are fast you can blot them up. For a gooseneck on a F-attachment trombone, this is pretty much gonna be a split second blast.

3) protect the instrument until it dries from things like dust, fuzz, etc. Yes I have gotten new instruments that had crap stuck in the lacquer.