Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: The Engineered Tuba


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Posted by js on June 04, 2002 at 08:37:10:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: The Engineered Tuba posted by Rick Denney on June 03, 2002 at 16:08:43:

As someone who others expect to repair what he has not designed nor recommended, I find "Thayer" valves troublesome.

Just to be almost fast enough to use on a trombone (not to mention the huge radius that would be required for tuba bores) Thayer valves are made of aluminum. Special high-tech oxide coatings are applied by manufacturers of these valves, but lime deposits can still literally dissolve the rotor body.

In the past, I considered building trombones with Thayer valves and selling them. I did quite a few conversions for folks (no guarantees on parts) until they started falling out of vogue. As I've seen how they hold up and the amount of maintenance required (not to mention liability - "You sold it to me. What's wrong with it?"...etc.), I abandoned this idea several years ago.

Trombonists are quickly leaving the "Thayer" school also, as they congregate around valves much like the one that *Willi Kurath came out with years ago (ie. pretty much Greenhoe=Rotax, as far as I am concerned).

The problem with big funky valve bodies is always speed . I couldn't tolerate any of the current "open" design valves. ' seems to me that the regular (well-made) piston valve is about as "open" as anything, and personally I never seem to feel any undue resistance with standard rotors.

Joe "who doesn't think there is a problem with plain ol' stuff" S.



*If I ever get steady good help (I have good help, but not steady), I might consider offering after-market Rotax (Kurath) F attachments for trombonists with the better open-wrap "zip-zag" wrap, as Wisconsin prices for similar stuff is at the level to invite competition.


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