Re: Tuba Cases


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Posted by Joe Baker on August 27, 2003 at 10:18:24:

In Reply to: Tuba Cases posted by Rocky Bivens on August 26, 2003 at 06:26:12:

The biggest problem you are likely to encounter will be with hinges and handles; they won't hold in the styrofoam, and if you make the fiberglass thick enough to hold them well you're back to a heavy case. Since you're asking for suggestions, I'd suggest that, in addition to any hinges you may screw into the fiberglas shell, use a continuous loop of webbing around the case to form the handles. It would support the weight and actually pull the halves together, taking the force off of the hinges. Just be sure that the center of mass is roughly half-way between the handles.

You COULD even build it with only the strap as a hinge.

BTW, I like a variation on MaryAnn's idea. Find a box big enough to set the horn down into, and lay down a couple of inches of foam, and let it set up. Then fill it maybe 1/3 full of spray-can foam (like "Great Stuff"), then (while the foam is still wet) place a plastic liner and the tuba. Adjust tuba and foam as necessary to be sure that the tuba bell isn't pushing all the way through the foam and that the foam comes roughly half-way up the tuba. Another plastic liner goes on top of the tuba, and more foam until the tuba is encased. Top with another plastic liner and a sheet of plywood or similar(to give a flat, uniform surface). After the foam dries, you can pull the top half off and remove the tuba. You have nicely shaped blocks ready to laminate, and the tuba is a custom fit.

Joe Baker, whose beat-up horn wouldn't be worth the trouble.


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