Posted by CK on May 09, 2003 at 09:45:38:
Good source for corks for Rotary linkage
I have been playing my tuba and in the last 3 weeks it kept getting stuffier, less volume and not centered and tone was thinning so I thought something was wrong with my embochure and I did some things that didn't work and the old embochure just seemed right.
So I started looking for other solutions and I found out that all of a sudden my return corks on my linkage on 2 of the rotors disintegrated enough to misalign the rotor and go past putting the rotor in the airstream. I am used to this so I set out to find a large O ring or some cork to put back in.
I found Hobby Lobby and they had 16 Craft Cork Stoppers for $1.99. In it was 16 #2 cork stoppers size 3/4" X 1/2". The company that makes them is The Board Dudes, Inc., made in Portugal. http://www.boarddudes.com
Well with a new single edge razor and some time figuring it out, it comes out that one cork will make 4 rotor stops. I cut the cork in 1/2 and then 1/2 again. Then with a little slight trimming on one end to make it round it fits perfectly in the stop slot. Just press into place and it stays seated real well. Then you have to cut the top flat and the front square cutting very little at first to make sure you don't cut too much. Remove the back cap and keep slicing thin till the rotor lines up. The first time it took 1 1/2 corks because of trial and error. Now that I have it down, 1 cork will work for 4 rotors.
At .125 cents a cork that comes out to .03 cents per rotor and a little time of your day and a great playing tuba and what is nice, you have 15 more times you can replace when needed.
I hope this helps some tuba and oval euphonium players. I now have my great tuba back and now know to check alignment all the time. Time will tell how these hold up but at the cost, who cares.
Be good and happy tuba playing!!!!!