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One thing I wanted to obtain for this project overall was one of those flexible cameras. I bought one inexpensively on Amazon (Nidage brand) that works off an app on a phone, and it works really pretty well. It can be used for two main things, one to just inspect inside a horn generally, and also more specifically to check valve alignment (those marks are not always 100% accurate).
In part 2 I mentioned the prior project where I constructed a Gumpert model valved horn that takes crooks, and that I was not entirely happy with it and would be working it over during the sabbatical.
One specific thing I wondered was how the horn looked at the area of the joint between the bell tail and the first branch. I had it apart 20 years ago to cut the bell, and I was not sure the parts ever fit together really well. From the outside it looked a bit suspect.
This photo reveals an unexpected problem! This is right at the joint, inside the horn. You can see a bit of silver which is the solder, and then there is all that “stuff.” Water has not flushed out the debris. I suspect the root of is it, the ”glue,” is paste flux remnants related to when I cut the bell. [See UPDATE] Fortunately I found it now, and I was planning to take that area apart again anyway, as I will most likely replace the first branch when I replace the valve section. It should make more than a little difference! And I need to get back in the swing of using acid flux again, which was what I used when I was working with Rick – I got out of the habit, as paste flux I found easier to work with.
For comparison, this second photo is of how the joint should look, a smooth inside view with a strip of silver visible from the solder. This is my Patterson Geyer, but several other horns I examined looked the same as this — really, all should look like this. No blobs of solder or flux, no gunk, no rough edges.
I’m looking forward to using this device more to check for debris and valve alignment. Little things matter a lot on your horn. But the first real project now that grades are in will be getting the workbench area reorganized.
UPDATE. When I got to taking that horn apart, I had quite a surprise. What we were seeing the edge of in the photo was a costume jewelry ring! The three photos below tell the story. Follow me on Instagram @ericsonhorn for more as the builds continue, I will be sharing more there than will be posted on Horn Matters.
By the way, I have no idea the source of that ring. I am now not certain I had that joint apart when I cut the bell, it might date from the original beginner that used the horn at some point in the past.
The horn actually played OK with that ring inside, so I’m really curious to see what it will feel like without it! I’ll be putting it back together soon.
