Conn Sousaphone Restoration- soldering, Magnetic Dent tools and other tips- band instrument repair

[@BruceBoschek]

Firstly, absolutely superb videography! Secondly, beautiful rescue of a damaged instrument, as always. 65 years ago I helped my dad repair instruments. We didn't have the incredible tools that you have, and certainly not the expertise in using them that you have, but we usually got them into playing condition again. Thanks for another excellent video.

[@zuke-ci4vd]

That magnetic dent remover tool is absolutely magical!! Outstanding work!! 👏👏👏😎👍

[@gearheadwes]

Nice reuse of an old drum head! Recycling at it's finest! You are a really awesome instrument repair guy! Great videos!

[@bobhudson3875]

Thanks so much for all of your videos and inspiration. I learn from you every day.

[@DellAnderson]

I hope the kid that gets the Sousaphone first watches all the work you put into it. Sure, not all dents are the kids' fault, but it can't hurt to have some respect for how it was repaired.

[@fredberg6980]

Something magical about a kid meeting their first horn!! You're the man!

[@jacktennant8426]

FYI- "FLUX" is an ACID cleaner, you are probably already know this. I think that you are a master Band Instrument repair person. Love watching you work.

[@patrickholmes4103]

Very good repair video. I played bass for years throughout elementary,high school and college. It does my heart good to see that restoration. Lord knows I had to play on some clunkers back in my day lol. GOOD JOB!!!

[@bgeesa]

Impressive rebirth of a musical instrument that had seen better days. Thanks for sharing your skill and dedication. I look forward to more videos from you.

[@ozzoakenshield7920]

As a tuba player myself, this is mesmerizing to watch!

[@jstep4146]

Neat fixture. I use 6x6 wood blocks with grooves cut in the tops and coated with high temp silicone. I have about 6 of those in various heights and move them around to get at stuff. The silicone protects the tubing and won't catch fire. I hate fire related drama in the shop.

[@dee3368]

I love the snare stand as a fixture....brilliant

[@BrightonsPriest]

I found your channel and now I can’t stop watching trying to catch up

[@stanyantis891]

I enjoy watching your repair videos. Thank you, Wes. I learned a lot from each one.

[@troydowning3302]

That magnet thing is absolutely incredible what a great idea

[@j.l.emerson592]

Magnetic dent removal is magical! Who knew?! I'm an old school mechanic & a hobbyist jewelery maker. I can certainly appreciate all the metal work you do. Brazing is an artform, something you have mastered. It's fascinating to watching you work!

[@dingusdingus2152]

Sousaphones tend to take a lot of punishment when issued to school children. A brass sousaphone weighs between 30 and 40 lbs. depending on how many valves it has. Only big strapping individuals can handle them properly. When they were invented at Sousa's suggestion, very little thought went into the design. It's very satisfying to see how Wes is able to salvage them from oblivion.

[@a10sim]

First thing I noticed was your custom made jig. I could’ve used that during my 25 years as a brass repair tech. I’ve really been impressed with your repair work. Big brass is no fun and a lot of work. Retired now and I don’t miss those 20K’s.🤣

[@ricoludovici2825]

I played tuba/sousaphone in high school and college. Those dents on the back of the pipe, down at the bottom and the rear come from the horn falling over backwards as you slip it off your shoulder and over your head. Also from dropping on the floor if you miss the storage hook in the instrument room. It was a problem for smaller guys. The bell is quite heavy and while it is balanced pretty well riding on your shoulder, when you shift it to the rear slightly, it will pull back out of your hands. Other times, it will pull back just as you get it over your shoulders on one side -- and you are off balance. Those dents also come from stacking the horns next to each other in the rear of the band bus, sort of leaning on one another, layered at an angle nesting in a row. It is wonderful seeing someone - and some school - care enough to rescue one of these instruments. I enjoyed playing the tuba. OTOH, after I got older, nobody ever asked if I had brought my tuba to the party. At least not outside of Minnesota.

[@joehead4081]

Why on earth would you stack your sousas instead of 69ing them?

[@ricoludovici2825]

@@joehead4081 I didn't. The high school loaders did.

[@kristimiller-lee2338]

I thank your organ donors for helping bring more life to other instruments.

[@wesleemusicrepair9820]

Always keep the bone pile!

[@dougberrett8094]

Always fun and interesting to watch you, but today was special. I switched to tuba in Jr. High and played through College. Marched with a Sousaphone. That gave me a place to, more or less, hide a super 8 movie camera that I sometimes used on the field. Yes it was a long long time ago. I carried the camera when my band marched at the University of Pacific in Stockton California in 1966. I somehow managed to stay out of trouble. Second story about Sousaphones. My youngest son played alto sax at his high school, so my wife and I were very involved with the band. One day whilst the moving crew was moving the larger instruments from the band hall to the practice field one Sousaphone fell out of the pickup truck and was deformed quite a bit on one side. It still played, just a little flat. I know this sounds like a joke, but it is a true story. I really enjoy your channel!

[@wesleemusicrepair9820]

Thanks for watching and the great stories! I bet you got some great movies!

[@wesleemusicrepair9820]

Oh and, fixing sousaphones that have fallen out of trucks is my specialty, if they still need that repaired

[@dougberrett8094]

Wes Lee Music Repair that was nearly 20 years ago. I hope it is not still in need of repair. Bur who knows.

[@wesleemusicrepair9820]

@@dougberrett8094 in Mississippi, that’s standard! Ha I really did appreciate and like your stories

[@dougberrett8094]

@@wesleemusicrepair9820 I am glad you liked the stories. I think what you do is really important. Too many people don’t really understand just how important education is where a student learns how to be the best he or she can be in context with others. As I look back over a 47 year career in industry, I am always angered over having had to deal with people who never learned how to be part of a team. Some people think that only sports teach teamwork. Not so. Band, choir, and orchestra also teach this. Students can’t play without instruments that work, and not being able to play means not learning how to be part of a team. I don’t know how it is in Mississippi, but one thing I really like about Texas (I am not native) is the directive from the state that if a school funds sports they WILL fund the arts. As such the band had money for certain things. The boosters added to that, so the band was well funded. Our band was usually one of the bands that everyone wanted to see march.

[@davidwood351]

Impressive results on that old beater. I love to see old stuff treated well.

[@terrygrotefeld4814]

I said it before Wes, you are truly a magician, to see those dents vanishing before ones very eyes was very satisfying,well done, Terry from the UK

[@amsmithonline]

Nice job on the sousaphone, Wes... especially the huge dents up near the bell attachment. Would have loved to see the bell. I bet that was in tough shape.

[@wesleemusicrepair9820]

Thanks for watching. Bell was is surprisingly good shape. I’m sure I’ll be doing a video on a trashed one soon enough.

[@travisjicorcoran5870]

I last touched a brass instrument around 1984 in middle school band, but I love watching skilled craftsmanship. Keep up the great work.

[@tubamarc8891]

My son walks out while I was watching this and yells “IT’S SANTA” He now thinks Santa repairs tubas in the North Pole.

[@pushyred]

Wow great work Wes. I am a very busy brass technician with a rather incomplete apprenticeship and no formal training. Your videos are very helpful. Also pretty cool, even though I live in Maine, my dad was born in Hattiesburg.

[@jimflys2]

I enjoy watching a fellow repairman at work. My MRDS cap is flat. I will get a curved pvc cap to use it as an internal radius tool. Usually I just stick a half round burnisher to it. It works, but sometimes is a challenge to keep it where you want it.

[@marculpa]

Ich glaube, viele wird es nicht geben, die dieses Handwerk verstehen. Schöne Arbeit!

[@rossknowles5608]

that magnet thingy was brutal. can't believe that actually works

[@chrisstaylor8377]

That magnetic dent remover is great

[@Quadstriker]

Man I was skeptical with all those crazy dents but it turned out great

[@wesleemusicrepair9820]

Thanks for watching. My magnetics preformed better than I originally thought. I did have to hammer creases for better performance, but overall I thought it came out great.

[@youtuuba]

Nice video. I have noticed that quite a few brass repair folks refer to "valve compression" on the horns, even though there is no compression involved. "Valve seal" would be better, but maybe there are other terms that are preferred. I suppose that using "compression" is understood to be an incorrect yet convenient term.

[@DellAnderson]

I was trying to figure out what he meant by 'valve compression'. I wonder if it comes from some kind of testing similar to automotive engine compression test?

[@youtuuba]

@DellAnderson , well, since there is no compression on brass instrument valves, it can't be compared with automotive valve compression. The only compression on a brass instrument is when a valve's tuning slide is pulled mostly out, or pushed mostly in, and then after waiting a few seconds, the valve is pressed to see if the pressure difference between ambient air and the air in the valves associated tubing has equalized (indicating leaky valves) or not (nearly air-tight valves) by the "pop" sound, or lack if it. But the valves themselves don't create or have compression.

[@brianohara5696]

Wow nice job with getting those dents out !!!

[@macsmarty2]

Thank you Wes Lee, you are wonderful!

[@brucecenterwall6058]

good work as always. I sure would like to see you go all the way with these. Make them look new again :-)

[@ellielobes]

what a great video!! I love sousaphones (I'm the proud owner of a Conn 36k and a King 1250 that makes this horn pre-repair look like it's factory new haha), I love watching skilled craftsmen building and restoring things, and I love long-form videos, so this was RIGHT up my alley! I'm very excited to dig through your channel and see what other cool projects you've worked on 😊! -signed, Ellie (who changed her KZbin account name as a short lived joke and now can't change it back and is forever stuck being Nixon)

[@jovenvillaflores4009]

I wish i have many tools,especially i need a mini metal lathe....i like the way you repaired an instrument, Good work!..greetings from the Philippines!

[@richardsims1805]

Beautiful Work!!

[@tiagogregoriodasilva4082]

Homem guerreiro! Deus te abençoe! Brasil. 75 anos

[@HLOFloZ]

“He’s the brass repair tech man with an awesome fix it plan!” Great to know he is a sublime instrument repair man! 👍😁🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

[@jorymil]

Is that the bones of a snare stand underneath? Very cool.

[@RicardoCruz-xk9nb]

Muy buen trabajo señor Wes... Tienes mucha paciencia para aser ese trabajo, recive un cordial saludo desde Puebla México 🇲🇽

[@pinjohnston3706]

I truly enjoyed this video. Thank you!

[@josephpetito1351]

Thanks! Always learn something new.

[@bananensaft5028]

This patina is nuts. Great video🔥

[@mauriciowilson8829]

Nunca pensé que con un poderoso imán podría retrotaer las endiduras del latón a su posición original. Bonito trabajo que requiere experiencia y mucha.... pero mucha paciencia. Felicitaciones a la dama que maneja la cámara por sus aciertos en los enfoques visuales. -- Un saludo cordial para ustedes, desde España.

[@jean-sebastienbaril9227]

Hello! Impressive workmanship! What is the strength of the magnet you use?

[@phooesnax]

Beautiful job.

[@donaldwalker5478]

Reminds of old B flat Conn I played in grade, jr. High and high school all through the early 60's and finaly 70 wheen I graduated going in the military. Wonder how the bell is doing?

[@rogerb709]

I played a fiberglass Conn sousaphone in high school, some 65 years ago. Returning home from a game in the back of a school bus wearing my horn (no room for a case) I snapped the neck off and cracked the bell when the bus hit a speed bump way too fast. Since the band director was driving, he couldn't blame me. I think they just kept the remains of my sousaphone around for parts. I bet you could have fixed it.

[@jerrylawson4463]

Wes - also an old Sousaphone and Tuba Player, for 60 years now. You never mentioned anything stuck in the horn, but I have found that Sousaphones are good targets for junior high and high schools kids to throw things at. What is the most unusual thing you have found in one? I had someone put a softball into one.

[@stephen26448]

Dude, you know your stuff, I am impressed keep up the good work

[@roberthendersonjr.595]

Anybody else love the sound those slides make when he yanks em out or is that just me? 😂

[@aztec11]

Nice work!

[@wesleemusicrepair9820]

Thanks for watching

[@NoahMazraani]

That magnet was awesome!

[@samuelspencer9194]

Mister West how strong is your magnet like your videos be safe and have a great day Sam

[@zhuxingcao6899]

Obsessed with the popping at 4:21. Who knows about the effectiveness of penetrating oils when there are so many instruments with stuck slides?

[@MG-ct5ju]

Hey Wes! Love your videos :) . I noticed your magnetic repair tools are a bit more makeshift than usual (the plastic lid especially). I'm big into 3D printers, and might be able to lend a hand. I can print you custom caps for the handle if you want. Out of special low-friction and wear resistant plastics like Nylon, PVDF, and high durometer TPU. They should be less effort to use and unlikely to scratch the surface If you're interested reply me desired dimensions. I'll do it for free

[@stonecreek9435]

hé Wes, nice video absolutely loved it, now a quick question. i'm the proud owner of a cleveland sousaphone from 1937 and I want to know the proper way to test my valve compression! could you tell me how to do it? al the best from the netherlands.

[@ellielobes]

I'm NOT a repair tech by any means, just another brass enthusiast who also owns a vintage H.N. White King Cleveland sousaphone, but the way *I've* always been told to check compression is to pull the valve slides then depress the valves or pull the slides completely out and see if they make that characteristic *pop*. Take the with a big big grain of salt- I'm just passing on potentially apocryphal info I've learned from other brass people

[@burnoutswithblainegoitia562]

What did you use to give the valve section and body some shine back? Looks really clean at the end. Great work!

[@vladimirlopez7840]

Wes is it possible to show us how you made your magnetic dent tool?

[@NintenDub]

Damn you've got skillls

[@paulgrimm6850]

Love your hat

[@michaeldrake5137]

I have one from my grandfather I’d love to repair. It’s dented up like that plus a bunch of home remedy repairs to supports. What does something like this approximation for repair cost?

[@kennethellison9713]

I'd like to see the bell of that Sousaphone. I'll bet it's in equally dismal, if not worse, shape.

[@CryingWolf_225]

Where did you get the cool small torch?

[@wdh120]

Great work Wes! Did you use any sealers or polish after the dent removal?

[@marcomoreno6132]

What solder are you using to close the pipe the factory solder... at the end of the video and what melting temperature does this solder use where can you get it as it is called? Que soldadura estás utilizando para cerrar la tubería la soldadurd de fabrica... al final de vídeo y que temperatura de fusión usa esta soldadura donde se puede conseguir como se llama?

[@seanmartinez2332]

Is there like a steel ball inside of the instrument that the magnet thing rolls around?

[@thomasewing2656]

Already to be re-plated. What is a ballpark figure for the cost of restoring the brass or Nickel on an instrument?

[@sopita_f1deo363]

cool

[@stevenormandin2059]

WOW it takes a LOT on skill and experience to fix those instrument you are AMAZING no freaking doubt ! :)

[@vincividal8251]

how does that magnetic dent remover work...I"ll have to check that out?

[@davesvoboda2785]

There's a steel ball on the inside of the non-magnetic brass tube, being moved around by the magnet. Now does it make sense?

[@rkelsey3341]

How much money, time, and special equipment would be needed if the local band director decided to have it completely redone with new brass plating?

[@JoelHansell]

You wouldn’t brass plate an instrument that’s made of brass. Are you thinking about silver plate?

[@ms-mac521]

👍👍👍

[@Ladiesman98]

How long would it take to get it fixed

[@TheJohnStacy]

What strength is the magnet? I'm currently using a 220lb magnet and it struggles to get deeper dents out of older tubas.

[@bomaite1]

Is that a frisbee you are using?

[@joycemusgrave161]

Paul here. What is the poundage pull rate for the magnet?

[@SuperOlds88]

I have a 40 Ford if you ever need a break from the instruments.

[@jsrupert1037]

Are the valves intercangable? How much will this repair cost?

[@wesleemusicrepair9820]

No, valves are not interchangeable, they have number designations and models

[@p227_3]

Я верно полагаю, это магнит с резьбой для винта рукояти? А какая сила магнита?

[@bogdanprimachenco8365]

hello everyone, I have an interesting idea with tub My idea is, since I don't have money for sousaphone but I have a Soviet Helicon I think to unsolder the Bell from the helicon, add a knee and a Bell from the Sousaphone. out handmade rotor Sousaphone)) but I'm afraid that through the knee and the big bell it will be very low in tune. and if you take Es helicon then it will be high in tune .. I want Sousaphone to have a Bb system but I'm hesitant because of that, what do you think?

[@douglasdexheimer1081]

Please give details on your magnetic dent removal tool: 1. maker 2. sizes 3. cost Thanks

[@wesleemusicrepair9820]

1. Maker- Me 2- size- 2 hockey puck N52 magnets in custom turned holder 3- cost- I don’t know, I’ve made modifications over the years I’ve had. But I feel safe to say under $500

[@kurtzarder5229]

i played tuba in jr. high, high school and college. Some of the damage Wes repairs appears to be intentional.

[@custardavenger]

I'm confused as to why you did nothing with the dents in the pipe before fitting the guard. It seemed a little like a bodge.

[@marcotimoteo2239]

no tendrá una tuba seuxophone en venta

[@AutismusPrime69]

Wess Lee layin pipe

[@kirkrogers6968]

I would love to hear the story of what happened to these instruments, some look like someone feel on it or throw it out if school bus.

[@jakemadonia]

Did you anneal the metal before mdrs? I’ve never had dents come out that easy

[@wesleemusicrepair9820]

No, I did not. The technique I talk about does a lot, but also I built my magnetics, they are not the “official” brand. I’m using a stronger magnet, doubled up, in a housing I made. I like it much more than when I was at a shop with the original. Also, did you notice how I worked the creases before I started working the mag? That’s also a big deal. Hope this helps.

[@pboneburt612]

What about the bell ?

[@Hertog_von_Berkshire]

What is meant by pistons having compression?

[@JoelHansell]

It means they don’t leak air appreciably. A leaky valve will negatively impact the tone of the instrument and its ability to play in tune.

[@jonathanhall7903]

The only complaint is that sometimes your camera is too far away and we miss the detail of your skill. I get that the camera can get in the way and be somewhat cumbersome but you'll fivure it out 😬. Sure do enjoy the content.

[@deltagaming1711]

Why don’t you heat up the metal when fixing dents?

[@Rumis754]

What is your favorite instrument?

[@mikerichards6311]

👏🏻👏🏻👍🏆👍

[@mikerichards6311]

👍👏🏻😁

[@annguyen-dh6lc]

em ở việt nam. muốn tìm kho kèn bãi , nhập về để bán và sửa. rất mong anh giúp đỡ ạ

[@walu707]

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