Repair red rot brass instruments
Periodically, remove the tuning slide and run a flexible cleaner, or snake, through the mouthpipe or leadpipe of your instrument, rinse the pipe with clean water, and let dry before reassembly. Empty the water out of your instrument right after playing and oil it before putting it away. Brush your teeth before playing if possible, or even simply rinse your mouth well before playing. Avoid eating right before playing, and especially drinking acidic drinks such as coffee, tea, sodas, lemonade, and so forth. How can I prevent red rot? You can help prevent it by reducing the acids you introduce into your instrument.
#Repair red rot brass instruments Patch#
If it is localized then you may be able to patch the part and extend its serviceable life. What can I do about it? Once you have Red Rot, there is nothing much you can do about it. There are also acids used in instrument cleaning procedures. But acid levels can be increased by consuming certain foods, especially sodas. There is acid in one’s breath, naturally. Copper is more resistant to reacting with these mild acids. The acid reacts with the zinc and causes it to come out of the brass. What causes Red Rot? Red rot is caused by a reaction with acidic solutions, usually the aspirants from the player’s mouth. You can put a probe on the spot and push all the way through without effort. At this spot the alloy has failed completely, leaving a weak structure of copper behind. It is identifiable as a reddish patch on outside of the tube, roughly circular, with a pin-point dark spot in the very center. In this case, the loss of zinc from the brass is substantial and throughout the thickness of the part. SPJ Brass Repair - True Red Rot is the complete breakdown of the alloy, and it occurs from the inside of a tube and proceeds outward.