TromboneChat

Inexpensive leadpipe I want to adjust to sit the mpc deeper. What kind of reamer do I need? It’s a large shank leadpipe (.547 bore slide).

There's a tool you can buy from Allied, but I've been warned not to use it. You will more than likely ruin the leadpipe.

If it's one of my shanks that you want to go deeper, it's no prpblem for me to make the taper smaller. But I have another idea - I will email you.

There are a few instrument repair vendors that sell tenor and bass shank mouthpiece receiver reamers. I also remember seeing a European shank option for the tool. I DO NOT recommend that you use them on a trombone receiver. Most trombone mouthpiece receivers are actually the first inch of the leadpipe or mouthpipe that is soldered into the inner slide. The gauge of the metal is quite thin. If you take off too much metal with a reamer the integrity of the entire leadpipe is at risk.

A better use of those tools is for a baritone or euphonium mouthpiece receivers. However, I again advise caution because the distance between the end of the mouthpiece and the leadpipe (commonly called the “gap”) is a delicate relationship on the bari/euph. If the gap is altered, many aspects of the instrument’s playability can be impacted.

Generally speaking……if you don’t know what you are doing, stay away! As a person in the repair business, I RARELY USE THESE TOOLS. When I use them, it is mostly for baritones and euphoniums, and only when they are pulled apart. If the receiver/leadpipe part of a trombone needs to be adjusted, I always do it when the leadpipe (mouthpipe) is pulled out and I always use other tools.

Doug Elliott wrote: ↑Sun Nov 10, 2024 7:38 am If it's one of my shanks that you want to go deeper, it's no prpblem for me to make the taper smaller. But I have another idea - I will email you.

Yes…. XT8 shank….

Sticks out quite a bit

I am quite brave and dilligent… worst thing would be a new leadpipe…. But a bit more patience would be better, that would involve a trip to the repair shop in a week or two.

Just get a new leadpipe. The insertion depth is part of the leadpipe design.

I think it is a production error. It is Chinese, although I had a bach 50 slide with even less insertion depth. Not as designed…

That leadpipe is garbage. I could make you a new leadpipe and take off that ring and put it on the new pipe.

"Back in the day" I witnessed a very respected and current day instrument maker use a blow torch and a wooden hammer to set my mouthpiece further into my lead pipe. Ha!!! Not kidding.

Is that not an Edwards leadpipe?

Nope, but it sure looks like one

I sent the leadpipe to my local tech in Germany to get it fixed properly. Will let you know the results. I think he will make a new one or order a part from B&S or some other source in Europe

WGWTR180 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 11, 2024 7:51 am "Back in the day" I witnessed a very respected and current day instrument maker use a blow torch and a wooden hammer to set my mouthpiece further into my lead pipe. Ha!!! Not kidding.

That's fundamentally how a one-piece pipe *is* made, though. The long taper is drawn, and the receiver taper has to be formed afterwards. Obviously it would be better to use a form that continues slightly longer/narrower than the mpc shank and then tapers faster/rounds off to eliminate the risk of the shank tip digging in...

WGWTR180 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 11, 2024 7:51 am "Back in the day" I witnessed a very respected and current day instrument maker use a blow torch and a wooden hammer to set my mouthpiece further into my lead pipe. Ha!!! Not kidding.

I'm surprised you ever got it back out of the leadpipe.

ithinknot wrote: ↑Mon Nov 11, 2024 3:53 pm

WGWTR180 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 11, 2024 7:51 am "Back in the day" I witnessed a very respected and current day instrument maker use a blow torch and a wooden hammer to set my mouthpiece further into my lead pipe. Ha!!! Not kidding.

That's fundamentally how a one-piece pipe *is* made, though. The long taper is drawn, and the receiver taper has to be formed afterwards. Obviously it would be better to use a form that continues slightly longer/narrower than the mpc shank and then tapers faster/rounds off to eliminate the risk of the shank tip digging in...

Kind of. The swaging/flaring tool is not a fully conical tool like a mouthpiece shank.

Regarding OP's post: if you are in some way attached to that leadpipe, the collar could be removed and the mouthpiece seat lightly annealed and flared further until you are satisfied with the depth of the mouthpiece seat. The collar will then need to be modified to fit the adjusted mouthpiece seat. I would not suggest a reamer.

With that said; there are repair tooling companies that sell such a reamer - I will leave you to find that on your own should you choose that path.