In a message dated 9/27/2005 5:22:52 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
I have a rose brass horn and some of the lacquer is worn in places. Is there a way I can buy the stuff to fix it myself, or do I have to take it in to a professional? It's not a big deal, but I just like working on my horn myself, simply because I enjoy discovering new ways to play with my toy. Putting lacquer on your horn is no big deal, really. Likely, you will not harm your instrument. But, if you do not remove the corrosion, dirt, grease, acids, and other stuff that is laying on the unlacquered spot then all you are doing is covering that stuff with a coating of lacquer. The spot has to be clean before you lacquer it in order to do any good for the metal. You can clean with many different fluids, but lacquer thinner will do a pretty good job. Denatured alcohol can do a good job, too. (Note on lacquer thinner: it may cause a hazy appearance to your good lacquer. Use it with caution! Do not breath the fumes if you can help it! Don't breath the lacquer fumes either. And, do the whole thing in a well ventilated area away from open flames or sparks. All of these fluids are flammable, potentially explosive, and harmful if inhaled.) Note also that spray lacquers will cover a wide area. Practice before you do it to your horn, because lacquer can sometimes create an effect we call "orange peel". Once you see it, you'll know what I mean. Over-spray can make a large area look bad in order to make a small area look good. If the area in question is small, then go to a hobby shop and get a small bottle of clear lacquer and a fine hobby brush to apply it. I won't even get into buffing and polishing. Suffice it to say that these are procedures best left alone, or left for another (long) lecture. Buffing and polishing are the most dangerous things we do in our shop. Period. Nothing else has the same potential for harm to both you and your instrument. Making a lacquer job look really good takes a ton of practice. I know techs who do it every day and still make mistakes from time to time. I suggest that anyone not practiced in applying lacquer use clear lacquer. The results of mistakes will be less apparent. Normally, I wouldn't recommend doing such things at home unless you are experienced at it. If you can practice on a junker instrument, it would be better to do so before you attack your good horn. One last note of caution: Lacquering can be dangerous. Buffing and polishing can be dangerous. If I've scared you by saying this, then you should consider leaving it to others who know what they are doing. Dave Weiner Brass Arts Unlimited _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
