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It’s the summer and you might be putting your horn away for a few months. Or, perhaps you have more than one horn and you want to “mothball” the horns you’re not using. So, what’s the best way to store your horn so it will come out of the closet, ready for use?
The proper method is pretty much the same as putting your horn away for a short period of time, only more so.
First, take out all the slides (making sure you know how they go back in), and empty all the water. Wipe the slide legs clean. Now, empty all the water from the rest of the horn. The horn has to be as dry as possible.
Now, you have to oil the valves with a heavy oil that will have little chance of evaporating. You can use your bearing oil, sewing machine oil, or 3-in-1 oil. I recommend something heavier such as a 10-weight motor oil or heavier. Oil both inside the casings and on the bearings. An oil that will not evaporate easily will protect the metal while it sits in storage.
Put several drops of bearing oil in the leadpipe, clean it out with your snake, and then put a few more drops in the leadpipe. Finally, grease the slides as usual and replace them, pushing them all the way in.
Store your horn in an area that is not too hot or cold, too wet or dry (no attics or basements). Store it with the slides down and the valves angled so that any condensation that may occur will drain away from the rotors and into the tubes.
Finally, I recommend a product called Dri-Case™, sold by Zaja Musical Products. (http://www.zajamusic.com/dricase.htm) It stores in the case and absorbs the moisture in your case, both protecting the metal from corrosion and the case fabric from mold and mildew. Best of all, Dri-Case is reusable because it can be regenerated in the oven.
Taking your horn out of storage and prepping it for playing ought to be as simple as cutting the heavy oil with a very light oil. Pour several drops of light oil in the rotor casings and move the valves. Repeat until the valves move freely. Be aware that the oil might come dripping out of your horn, so don’t do this over nice furniture or with nice clothes on. If you still have problems, take your horn to the repair tech for evaluation.
