[TPIN] Bending mouthpieces

[Dwight Bird]

This method looks like it would word.  A couple of considerations.  First, I
don't think you need a real stout vise for it.  Brass is really pretty soft
compared to other materials.  Next, make sure that the placement of the
dowel at A is at a point on the mouthpiece that would be outside of the
trumpet mouthpiece receiver.  Otherwise you might deform it and it would fit
snuggly in the vise.

By the way, I have a Monette STC-1 PRANA mouthpiece that Dave Monette gave
me.  I watched him bend it.  He put it in a block of wood with a hole the
size of a receiver, with the block held snug in a vise.  He covered it with
a rag or piece of leather and gave it a couple of good whacks with a mallet.
He didn't seem cautious at all, but then again, if he had destroyed the
mouthpiece, he could have just picked up another one off the bench.

_______________
Dwight Bird
Kaysville, UT
-----Original Message-----
From: tpin-bounces at tpin.okcu.edu [mailto:tpin-bounces at tpin.okcu.edu] On
Behalf Of D. Michael McIntyre
Sent: Saturday, July 29, 2006 8:17 PM
To: tpin at tpin.okcu.edu
Subject: Re: [TPIN] Bending mouthpieces

On Saturday 29 July 2006 9:03 pm, Joel Nielsen wrote:

> Awhile back there was a thread about bent mouthpieces and several people
> wrote about the various methods they had used to accomplish it. I believe
> there was one that described using a vise somehow, without striking the
> mouthpiece with a mallet. Unfortunately, I lost track of those emails and
> was wondering if anyone could help. Sorry for not paying closer attention
> the first time - email me off-list if you wish.

That was probably me.  I remember thinking about this before, although I've 
never actually tried it.

I'd use a setup like this, with oak or other hardwood dowels of appropriate 
sizes at A, B, and C.  Squeeze gently, and I expect it would bend smoothly.

For good measure, I'd fill the piece with Gulf wax or lead (yes, evil, toxic

lead), but I think the wall thickness and gentle radius of the bend probably

make this step unnecessary.

Wear eye protection in case it goes KAFWOING! and pops out flying toward
your 
eye.  A face shield would be good too, and maybe a chest protector.  Don't 
try this on your new Monette piece until you've gotten the bugs out of the 
process.


%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%  <- metal jaw
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|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||  <- wood or rubber pad
       __       ////     __
      /A \      ////    /B \      ||  
      \__/      //// ___\__/__----||
  _________----------             ||
  |                               ||      
  ---------__________             ||     
                //// ---------____||
              --------            ||
             /        \
            /          \
            |  C       |
             \         /
               --------
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
                ////
                ////
                ////
        O-------------------O


WARNING: I haven't actually tried this.  I'm just a tool man thinking how
I'd 
solve a problem.  If this didn't work as suggested, I'd fine tune it.  
Perhaps by carving out hollows in the dowels so as to better accommodate 
something round, and keep it locked in place.

You'd also want to use a bi9a$$ vise for this.  Something with a big screw, 
and a lot of power.  A 4" multipurpose shop vise probably wouldn't suffice.

I have an ancient 1920s era woodworkers vise with an Acme screw the size of 
my son's arm I would use for this job.  That thing is a honking massive pile

of iron.

-- 
D. Michael 'Silvan' McIntyre  ----   Silvan
<dmmcintyr at users.sourceforge.net>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek;  registered Linux user #243621

Author of Rosegarden Companion http://rosegarden.sourceforge.net/tutorial/
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