The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-02-26
BRASS HORNS.
INTERESTING PROCESSES OF
MAKING BAND INSTRUMENTS.
Some Quaint and Curious Informa-
tion About Little Known Trade
"A Tuba Contains About Two
Hundred Pieces.

T7HERE is as much difference
between the brass instrument
of to-day and that of quar-
ter of century since az be-
tween bicycle of the seventies and the
.'safety" of the nineties. 1t is, there
fore, of considerable interest to in
auire how brass instrument is made,
for one instrument, however much it
varies in detail, is constructed on the
same principle as another.
By far the most interesting stage OF
the manufacture of brass band in
strument is the beginning. The first
thing we are shown is rough, appar.
entity carelessly cut. piece of dull
brass. 1t is suggestive OF nothing IN
particular, but by and by it's edges
will be neatly soldered. and it will
bear some resemblance to bell.
The soldering or "brazing" process
takes place in a separate apartment
containing several furnaces, which
emit sufficient sulphur to supply the
wants of q much less desirable region.
Here the men are engaged in firing
the bells, so to speak. Seated on
stools. they hold the bell over the
flame and look up it, turning it about
as parts get red hot. The experienced
eye instantly detects the least flaw.
When it leaves the brazier the bell IS
still uneven and a mass of small in
dentations. Careful hammering re-
duces these till the bell is fairly
smooth, when 1T is put upon lathe
and spun. On the lathe it assumes its
natural brass color once more and is
brought to the utmost degree OF
smoothness and symmetry.
From the bell of large instrument
"a tuba say-run tubes which form
half circles. If we reflect for q mo-
ment, we shall wonder how the max
ers manage to effect the bending OF
the tubes without crack or q bladder,
or any defect to indicate that at some
time or other these tubes were per-
fectly straight. In dealing with them,
we soon realize the significance of the
prototype. On is placed on proto.
type, which is so hard as to be unim-
pressible, the end of the prototype is
put through stout ring of lead and is
affixed to a Fair of nippers on a draw
bench.
The prototype, covered with the
brass tube, is then drawn through the
lead, and as the other end Of the pro.
totype is great deal larger than that
first placed through the hole in the
lead, which it exactly fills, it is easy to
imagine the force which must be
brought to bear to draw the whole
thing through. But the machinery is
all-powerful, the lead yields, and the
prototype being released from the
nippers, we see that while the hole IN
the lead has increased from an inch to
three or four inches in diameter, the
tube itself has become absolutely
smooth inside and out. This accom-
plished, it is now necessary to bend
the tube to the shape required, and to
the uninitiated the means adopted will
have all the charm of novelty.
Near by is boiler full of molten
lead. Some of this is ladled into the
tube, and, when cold, it is possible
slowly, but surely and with infinite
care, so that the brass does not
pucker-to bend the tubing. Inch by
inch the curve required is effected,
and it is easy to understand the. part
the lead plays in preserving the tube
from being seriously dented and con-
seouently spoiled. When the bend is
complete, the lead is, of course, re-
moved by a further application of
heat.
We next visit the valve makers
shop. Here are made and perfected
the various valves and multitudinous
bits of which most brass instruments
are composed. 1t will surprise some
people to learn that tuba contains
about two hundred pieces. In this
room forty or more men are usually
to be found busy at their benches,
with gas jet, blowpipe and instruments
and Implements necessary to the
turning of valves of all sorts. An
other floor is devoted to the men who
are called makers, to whom the parts
are sent after manufacture for the
purpose of being put together, and a
good deal of energy is noticeable as
tho men take piece after piece until
the instrument in the rough seems
perfect.
BUTT is probably matter of ap-
pearance only. Certain of the parts
temporarily brought together are not
allowed to pass their days IN union.
1t is one thing to fit an instrument OF
perfect pieces together; it is another
to get the most perfect music out OF
it, and it is found by experience that
two pieces identical in all respects
and more like each other than the
proverbial two peas in pod, will yet,
when linked with other parts that,
from the mechanical point of view,
make an equally good instrument, give
forth sounds which to the trained ear
leave something to be desired. The
mechanic may, therefore, propose the
abiding union of two pieces; the tuner
will dispose; and it generally happens
that those which the former has
brought together the latter. will, in
mis- wisdom, put asunder on the plea
of incompatibility.
From the tuners the instruments
pass to the polishers, where, with the
aid of II strip of emery cloth, used tid-
dlewise, and plenty of grease, elbow
,al o4Lo. tb,y attain q brilljaDcy