Posted by Part-Time Repair Tech on September 06, 1999 at 20:06:13:
In Reply to: Chemical flush posted by Chemical flush on September 06, 1999 at 16:16:48:
Yeah, it's possible to flush your own horn at home. It's also possible to replace
the master cylinder on your car, if you've got the know-how (or at least a
good repair manual), the tools and the time. However, most folks would rather pay
a good auto repair technician to do the job, for several reasons: he/she has been
professionally trained (or at least certified), he/she has invested in
the proper tools (which can make a HUGE difference), and most importantly, he/she
is professionally and financially obligated to do the job right. If not, he/she
gets to see the horn a second time, w/a bit less profit margin on the books. Flushing
a horn properly involves more than just giving the instrument a bath. It involves
competely disassembling the instrument (not a risky job, unless you have stuck
slides or valve caps), soaking the instrument and parts in a commercial-grade degreaser
(without which the flushing agent may not be able to do its job), cleaning out ALL
the slides and slide tubes, soaking the instrument in a acid-based agent (necessary
removing corrosion, most of which is hiding inside the instrument) -- this may be
anything from vinegar (more shops are switching to this because of its environmental
friendliness) to myriatic acid (the same stuff used to clean swimming pools -- a pain
pain in the (AT)#$ to dispose of properly)-- and finally, neutralizing the acid by soaking the horn and parts in yet another solution, probably a baking soda-type solution.
Of course, the horn should then be washed again w/soap and water, dryed thorougly,
reassembled (hopefully w/new felts, corks, and springs) and play-tested. I hope this
doesn't sound boorish, but this is just a synopsis of how horns are flushed in the
shops that I've worked in. Of course, there's almost always some variation, particularly in the choice of flushing agent. Sure, you can do some of this at home. But why would
you want to? Considering liability for the instrument, availability of tools and replacement parts, and the cost involved (usually between $75-200) as compared to the overall cost of the horn -- not to mention that this only needs to be done every 2-3 years (unless you incorporate the "pizza and practice" method), it might be worth it to let the repair tech be the one to get messy.
could be anything from weakened myriatic acid to vinegar