How to unstick an F tuning slide? (Unused for 45 years)

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dbwhitaker
Posts: 196
Joined: May 16, 2019

by dbwhitaker »

I just picked up late 70s Olds O-25 from someone who says the horn was played for about a year but hadn't been used since. I can't budge the F tuning slide. Any suggestions about how to unstick it? Maybe this is a task for a professional? I was able to pull off the main tuning slide with a bit of effort but the "grease" on it seemed more like glue.
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pompatus
Posts: 434
Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by pompatus »

You could always try a bit of penetrating oil. I might even heat it, gently, with a blowdryer. Personally, I’d be scared to do any damage, and would let my tech free it up.

It’s probably a less than 30 minute job, and at least I’d have the peace of mind of having the tech to look it over while he’s got it.
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Posaunus
Posts: 5018
Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by Posaunus »

[quote="pompatus"]You could always try a bit of penetrating oil. I might even heat it, gently, with a blowdryer. Personally, I’d be scared to do any damage, and would let my tech free it up.

It’s probably a less than 30 minute job, and at least I’d have the peace of mind of having the tech to look it over while he’s got it.[/quote]

Brad,

I agree with Pompatus - let a competent tech do this job and give you an overview.

The O-25 is a fine trombone - rare as hen's teeth - and you may love it (as I do) once you accommodate to its eccentricities. You may be experimenting for a while with mouthpieces.
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hyperbolica
Posts: 3990
Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by hyperbolica »

If it's a long pull slide, there are a lot of possible hang ups. I've freed a lot of stuck slides with oil. If it's a wide slide, it might get racked, and you might try rocking it back and forth. Narrow slides don't do that as much. The blow drier is a good idea too. I loop a rag through the slide crook to get a better grip with less possibility of causing damage.
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bigbandbone
Posts: 602
Joined: Jan 17, 2019

by bigbandbone »

Leave it to a pro! Too much could go wrong.
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robcat2075
Posts: 1867
Joined: Sep 03, 2018

by robcat2075 »

My previous answer on the problem of a stuck slide...

[url=https://trombonechat.com/viewtopic.php?p=150345#p150345]Stuck Tuning slide

However, an F tuning slide is more awkward for either thermal or chemical cracking. You will need to be extra ingenious.
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Backbone
Posts: 150
Joined: Apr 08, 2018

by Backbone »

<YOUTUBE id="qy5qy0sMlZM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy5qy0sMlZM</YOUTUBE>

He has tutorials on how to remove them.