Posted by Gary Swart on February 12, 2001 at 15:06:38:
In Reply to: Tuning slides sticking posted by New Tuba Owner on February 11, 2001 at 11:03:22:
Tuning slides on my St Pete were hard to move too. I was having some tweeking of the rotaries done, and mentioned it to my repairman. He told me that years ago lanolin was used, but there was a product readily available that would cure the problem. He was right. I got a small can of Bag Balm and lapped the slides. First, clean the slides and bores as best you can. Then apply a coating of Bag Balm on just one tube. Insert just that tube into the bore and work it back and forth, and around as far as possible. Repeat of the other tube. Clean off the slides, recoat with Bag Balm and you'll be amazed. BTW, Bag Balm is an excellent product of dry, chapped skin too. Stuff last a fair amount of time, 3 or 4 months in my experience.