Any ideas on interesting ways to refinish a bell? (Cool patinas, etc?)

ryebrye · 2024-01-17 8:51 a.m.

I saw a cool finish on a BAC trombone that looked like a gradation from dark oil-rubbed bronze at the end and inside of the bell to a lighter brown by the tuning slide, but in the top of the bell there was a section that was left shiny (didn't get a good look at it, but it seemed like it was some kind of decorative thing)

I'm sure I'm not the first person here to wonder what you could do to a bell to make it look cool.

I'm thinking of taking a YSL-354 that's seen better days and using it as a project horn (or more specifically, pointing my son and one of his friends who is a very good artist and trombone player in the right direction and letting them run with it...)

They're in high school, so MAYBE they could sweet talk the chemistry teacher to letting them do something that would involve a fume good, but I can't imagine they'd have something that would be big enough to submerge a whole trombone.

Anything that could be done relatively safely with normal PPE and won't turn my garage into a superfund site.

I was thinking maybe a brushed surface combined with some kind of accelerated patina with perhaps some areas masked off might work...

(I did see the thread where someone did a brushed finish on a YSL-354 and it looked great.)

harrisonreed · by **harrisonreed** » 2024-01-17 9:17 a.m.

Why stop at a finish? BAC can make any dream come true!

ryebrye · by **ryebrye** » 2024-01-17 9:53 a.m.

I'd only consider doing a stained glass infill section if each piece could be swapped out so I could take advantage of the sonic properties of different pigments. Ideally swappable quickly so it could be done within 4 measures while trading 4's at the club ;)

atopper333 · by **atopper333** » 2024-01-17 10:07 a.m.

[quote="ryebrye"]I'd only consider doing a stained glass infill section if each piece could be swapped out so I could take advantage of the sonic properties of different pigments. Ideally swappable quickly so it could be done within 4 measures while trading 4's at the club ;)[/quote]

Just think of the infinite possibilities if you change the weights of each section of the stained glass…truly mind blowing!

ghmerrill · by **ghmerrill** » 2024-01-17 11:00 a.m.

This is a GREAT idea -- much better than hanging heavy metal tone enhancers or lefreQue plates on a horn! But you should probably try to go with some new materials technology where you could dynamically alter the colors (and possibly the molecular alignments) with some sort of micro-currents (solar powered, of course).

bitbckt · by **bitbckt** » 2024-01-17 11:43 a.m.

I feel that the colors in that example have been altered... plenty.

Burgerbob · by **Burgerbob** » 2024-01-17 11:52 a.m.

ghmerrill · by **ghmerrill** » 2024-01-17 11:59 a.m.

The "Hero of the proletariat" look?

bitbckt · by **bitbckt** » 2024-01-17 12:24 p.m.

Aiden's example does look really cool to my eye, especially with the contrast against the Hoelle tuning slide.

ghmerrill · by **ghmerrill** » 2024-01-17 12:27 p.m.

:good: It's got attitude.

ryebrye · by **ryebrye** » 2024-01-17 1:44 p.m.

Yeah, Aiden - your example is great. It's got a sort of "steampunk" look to it.

I saw this:

<LINK_TEXT text="https://www.sciencecompany.com/Patina-F ... er.aspx#17">https://www.sciencecompany.com/Patina-Formulas-for-Brass-Bronze-and-Copper.aspx#17</LINK_TEXT>

Which is cool, but I wish it had pictures of the results on different metals.

Then there's this:

https://sculptnouveau.com/collections/finishes

They've got all sorts of stuff - the dye-ox patinas are interesting. They have some other stuff that could be tempting too - like the iridescent stuff you could rub in.

Anyone try that stuff out on an instrument yet?

Doug_Elliott · by **Doug_Elliott** » 2024-01-17 5:43 p.m.

[quote="harrisonreed"]

Why stop at a finish? BAC can make any dream come true![/quote]
Is that a hot dog in there, or the head of a purple razor?

ghmerrill · by **ghmerrill** » 2024-01-17 6:22 p.m.

I vote purple razor.

modelerdc · by **modelerdc** » 2024-01-17 9:26 p.m.

Play it for 30 years and like an old violin let it acquire character. Lack patience, then hand hammer it yourself.

davdud101 · by **davdud101** » 2024-02-12 10:13 a.m.

I'm loving this stuff!!! I'm actually right in the middle of doing a 354 (as mentioned in some.other threads - gonna hopefully post about it later today.). Scratch/brush finish with the inner bell left in full lacquer. It's looking great so far.

If I get my hands on another 354, I may go for Aiden's method for a black outer bell, and try get that deep, black patina against lacauered gold like on the Schagerl Kissbone

Matt_K · by **Matt_K** » 2024-02-12 10:49 a.m.

Actually, it's the handle to the blue hammer head!

ssking2b · by **ssking2b** » 2024-03-13 4:47 p.m.

[quote="harrisonreed"]

Why stop at a finish? BAC can make any dream come true![/quote]

Too bad they couldn’t make him play any better.

trombonedemon · by **trombonedemon** » 2024-03-15 2:28 p.m.

[quote="ssking2b"]<QUOTE author="harrisonreed" post_id="231280" time="1705501034" user_id="3642">

Why stop at a finish? BAC can make any dream come true![/quote]

Too bad they couldn’t make him play any better.
</QUOTE>

What do you mean?

ssking2b · by **ssking2b** » 2024-03-22 9:15 a.m.

Just not impressed with his trombone playing

BGuttman · by **BGuttman** » 2024-03-22 10:07 a.m.

I have a soft spot for the Inderbinen black. A good black oxide solution followed by a good lacquer makes for an impressive look. I think Inderbinen only did the bell.

atopper333 · by **atopper333** » 2024-03-22 11:28 a.m.

I’ve been wondering if vapor honing a bell and getting it plated would reproduce that old satin silver look…

Maybe I’ll have to try it on a beater bell…

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Any ideas on interesting ways to refinish a bell? (Cool patinas, etc?)