Project Trumpet

My project trumpet is a Conn student model trumpet. It needs three new finger buttons, and a third valve slide pull ring.  The main tuning slide is stuck, and the second and third valve stems are stuck.  It needs a chem flush, lots of dent work, and straightening of some parts.  

    

The main tuning slide was stuck.  I put penetrating oil on the slide (through the mouth pipe and at the upper outer joint) for a week.  I made a mold and used it to protect the crook so I could tap it out with a hammer.  After heating the slide a few times, and hammering on the mold it made its way out.

For chemical cleaning I soaked this trumpet in a degreaser called Simple Green.  Then I did a 2 minute agitated soak in Slime Away several times to remove all the lime and scale.  I scrubbed parts in between soakings to help speed the cleaning process.  I soaked my nickel plated pistons in the pickle separately, because nickel can be reactive with that chemical.  When I was finished in then chem room, I stabilized the bare inner slide tubes.  

       

Here are a few photos showing progress I have made on the stem and flare dents. 

     

My main tuning slide crook was severely dented.  I didn't get very far with dent balls, so I had to unsolder one of the slide tubes.  Then I used dent rods, draw plates, tapping and burnishing to try to remove the dents.  I was ready to solder everything back together, but it didn't fit together right so I had to sand one end of the crook to make everything fit right.  

I finished my dent work, ported, and greased my trumpet before turing it in.  I will play test it when the finger buttons come in, and it will be ready to go!