Re: Re: valve extensions or other remedies


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TubeNet BBS ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Klaus on August 17, 2001 at 10:05:46:

In Reply to: Re: valve extensions or other remedies posted by John Swensen on August 17, 2001 at 08:44:25:

I am not aware of which makers that supply their piston tubas with oversize valve buttons. Only that the models from Besson, Conn, and York, that I have, are not equipped with such buttons.

But I understand the very idea of oversized valve buttons in that way, that it must calculate with an offset valve depressure. That is: the force is not applied directly above the center of the piston.

Having lived, taught, and played far away from any trained repairman for a period of my life I have developed a sense for "a poor man’s solutions", when it comes to ergonomical add ons in leather, wood, textile tapes, and the like.

If I should develop a need for having large valve buttons I would take the same size of coins to glue on all 4 existing valve buttons to avoid problems with metal banging on metal. But I would not place the center of the coins over the centers of the valve buttons. I would offset them towards the center of the cluster. With a larger offset on the 1st and 4th valves, than on the 2nd and 3rd valves. If I had a 5th valve lever for the thumb, which I have not on tubas, I would have that one bent or augmented as necessary.

I even could tell which coin, I would use: a Danish 5 krone, worth a bit more than a half dollar.

We have coins in bronze, nickel silver, and copper. A a very strict law, that these coins shall be easily recognisable by the blind persons. Hence the the highest and lowest values are smooth and distinguished by size and rim reliefs.

The middle values, in nickel silver are rough with detailed reliefs and a hole in the center. With a diameter of 28.5mm (1.122") the 5 krone is the largest of these and quite fitting for the purpose. By placing the center hole of the coin at ecatly the right "off-set" place on the valve button, one retains an easy way for the fingers to sense their right positions.

As long as one has only 4 pistons to modify, this solution is a bit above $2 plus the glue. And maybe some bank exchange fee.

Klaus


Follow Ups: