French Horn Bell Stem Damaged & Dented- band instrument repair

Рет қаралды 17,420

Wes Lee Music Repair

6 ай бұрын

In this episode, repairing a badly damaged French Horn's bell stem/throat.
Thanks for watching.

Пікірлер: 78

@shubus 6 ай бұрын

It just seems like magic seeing these repairs take place right under your eyes. Wes's gentle work with the hammer is absolutely amazing This horn now "look like a bought one"

@keithschwartz7318 6 ай бұрын

Years ago, I was a metal shop teacher in a high school. Whenever I had a student doing a project that required all the tapping with a planishing hammer, I would put him in the hall so the academic teachers could enjoy the tap, tap, tap. Listening to your work takes me back to a happier time of my life. Thanks for the memories. 😊

@Ronsonic 6 ай бұрын

I am amazed at the way you can push metal around, especially ironing out that crease. Good camera work from the apprentice.

@auralsonicwaves7170 6 ай бұрын

I was fortunate to live very close to Walter Lawson and watched him remove dents from my horn using some of the same techniques you used in this video. I was mesmerized and was glued to the monitor watching you work on that horn. Thank you for these videos.

@kthwkr 6 ай бұрын

Your ability to take out those dents just amazes me.

@NORTHERNROVER1 6 ай бұрын

I really enjoy your work Wes. You are a real craftsman and this looks like a very satisfying career. Perhaps I am naive but I didn't even know people did this until I started watching your videos. I have worked in car restoration for over 45 years and it is also satisfying, just very slow with some projects taking years to complete. Relatively speaking your work is pretty close to instant gratification. Cheers!

@ForestSchweitzer022097 6 ай бұрын

Been watching for a while! Your video quality has gotten a lot better. Nice job, Wes! You are a fine KZfaqr.

@samc5898 6 ай бұрын

Many have said it already but watching that damage and imperfection just melt away is incredible.

@TheMrAshley2010 6 ай бұрын

It's SO helpful to see your process. Thanks for the education! Great work as usual.

@dabarons001 6 ай бұрын

That’s awesome. I know the owner of that horn and have seen those dents in person. Can’t wait to see it again now that it’s like new

@Tocsin-Bang 6 ай бұрын

Sixty years ago I had a dream of playing the French horn, after my music teacher played us recordings of the Mozart Horn Concertos. Sadly it never happened, but when I saw what had happened to this horn, I was close to tears.

@jefferp 5 ай бұрын

Watching these repairs: 98 lb weaklings need not apply. My dad was a woodwinds guy. Thanks to you, I finally know what those strange tools are that were in his tool box. 😁

@buenaventuralife 4 ай бұрын

Wes I have to thank you for what might seem repetitive videos, but do not. Watching someone with skills like yours is why I will watch your videos. Do not ever get discouraged. You are making things so cool. Plus we get to see instruments, like this French horn, into the details. Thank you!!!

@HankScally 2 ай бұрын

This gentleman is the most patient person that I have ever seen. His work is the anthesis of the average 'rush-itll do' job.

@grumpikinsstinkamus9134 5 ай бұрын

I want to thank you again. Your videos are very helpful. I just successfully silver soldered a crack on a sousaphone. Your repair vids are great.

@SeasideASMR1 6 ай бұрын

Incredible job. As a horn player, myself and basically everyone I know dented their instrument in this same place. Usually not THIS badly though. 😂

@Meister1551 6 ай бұрын

I've said it before, You Sir are a Magician. You made that French Horn look fantastic.

@michaelbuchholz2164 6 ай бұрын

The only way to do this is huge experience. It is so easy to ruin an instrument finally. Great job! 😊

@DanielCoffey67 6 ай бұрын

When I had my French Horn it didn't have a removable bell. I am so glad you had that luxury otherwise it would have been more cumbersome to handle.

@belfastpaddy2169 6 ай бұрын

I appreciate your skill Wes. Hello from Ireland 🇮🇪

@Yakaduce 6 ай бұрын

Thanx Wes. From Hawaii

@lietz13 6 ай бұрын

This is pimple popping content for band geeks.

@grahammorgan9635 6 ай бұрын

Outstanding repair once again , thank you Wes.

@phooesnax 6 ай бұрын

Fantastic job Sir!

@BruceBoschek 6 ай бұрын

Patiently and masterfully repaired. Thank you.

@steve_weinrich 6 ай бұрын

Amazing every time!

@imm311 6 ай бұрын

What incredible work! God bless you and yours. Praying for you!

@ms-mac521 6 ай бұрын

👍👍👍 tremendous work !

@Davidjb37721 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for your input

@tomcook7133 6 ай бұрын

Thanks Wes, from Canada

@rogerhodges7656 6 ай бұрын

It is always fun to watch a craftsman at work.

@ryetim32 12 күн бұрын

You sir, are a true artisan

@CraigRodmellMusic 6 ай бұрын

One wonders what happened to that poor instrument that caused it to be in that condition! The owner of that instrument will be mighty glad that you could work your magic on it, Wes! Just as we were mighty glad we could watch you working your magic.

@nytestar4035 6 ай бұрын

If it's a school horn, marching band probably happened to it 😂😂, kids run into each other, horns get dropped or knocked into things. French horns are made of thinner metal so they take a little more of a beating because of their design.

@jadedpython 6 ай бұрын

As a horn player and as other comments say, it's very easy to accidentally hit that part of the instrument. Pretty much every school horn I've handled has at least some damage to the bell stem, although I've never seen one as bad as in this video.

@nytestar4035 6 ай бұрын

@@jadedpython I have but usually it's from middle schools.

@jadedpython 6 ай бұрын

@@nytestar4035 Fair enough. When I was in seventh grade, someone left their french horn on the ground and someone else tripped over it and completely totaled the thing. I never saw the aftermath but it was apparently really bad.

@randyporter3491 5 күн бұрын

The patience he has is humbling to say the least. If I get a garden hose stuck under a car tire, I'll whip it, flail it, use adjectives and suggestive phrases at full volume, all while trying to pull the hose in half. Walking to the car and carefully removing the wedged hose is not an attractive option at the time.

@geoffbuss3699 6 ай бұрын

Awesome work as usual, Wes. Nicely filmed too. I agree with the previous comment about the sparese commentary and even the sounds from outside are soothing.

@djasge3893 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing the « magic »!

@spike6192 6 ай бұрын

Wes Lee is my favorite instrument repairman!

@kristimiller-lee2338 Ай бұрын

How many others do you know?

@persydiangelo8461 6 ай бұрын

It's nice to see the video format that got me into your channel making a return! Just simple, methodical dentwork. A little bit of commentary here or there, but mostly just honest dent-balls and hammer taps and "magically" the instrument is restored!

@DirkDwipple 6 ай бұрын

Nothing like watching a pro in action.

@lotsabirds 6 ай бұрын

I've tapped on horns so many times that Taylor, one of my African grey parrots, makes the same sound!

@brucematthews6417 6 ай бұрын

You've got all the COOLEST TOOLS! ! ! I know it's all to suit the job but it's brilliant how the solutions come up and the tools take their shape. But still... I'd watch your channel even just to see the solutions in the form of the tools. And yeah, I'm a toolaholic.... Not only buying them but making them as well.

@colinetsegers Ай бұрын

Nice demonstration. Thanks man :0)

@becassier410 6 ай бұрын

Quelle patience !! 👍🙏💪 et comme l'on dit en France " bon outil bon travail " 👋🇨🇵🇨🇵🇨🇵🇨🇵🇨🇵

@benloyd1970 6 ай бұрын

Amazing

@Renville80 6 ай бұрын

Clearly, the top requirement of such a job is patience...!

@apfelsnutz 6 ай бұрын

BOY, i WISH YOU'LD TAKE ON MY 8d-RS. IT SLID OFF THE DRESSING TABLE JUST BEFORE OUR PERFORMANCE OF MAHLER 2 IN SAN DIEGO SYM. . I KNOW IT'S A LONG WAY TO SEND THE HORN, BUT YOUR WORK IS EXCELLENT, AND THE BELL IS JUST MANGLED. THANKS FOR THE VIDEO...

@dzntz1 6 ай бұрын

Seek and Destroy! 🤘🏻

@James_Hough 6 ай бұрын

I got about 690 hammer strokes on camera (probably more off)...sure I missed a bunch. I didn't slow it down to count...I'm not a weirdo.

@phooesnax 6 ай бұрын

Most techs would not have gone that last Mike.

@jetsetsc 6 ай бұрын

It's nice to see the specific tools you have on hand. Have you done a video about making burnisher from a file?

@ShainAndrews 6 ай бұрын

The one instrument I never cared for. Challenging when you can't keep some pressure on the internal low spots while massaging the external high spots down. A guy only has so many hands....

@wesleemusicrepair9820 6 ай бұрын

That’s why you use your belly muscles as the third point

@rogerharris8081 6 ай бұрын

Those dents looked intentional and malicious!

@nytestar4035 6 ай бұрын

Probably not. French horns just can get dented easily because they're thin. They get dropped, knocked into things and if they're used in marching band it's definitely worse.

@johns3106 6 ай бұрын

I assume that this French horn (like much of what Wes works on) is a school instrument, which makes me wonder, “How long until Wes’ careful handiwork becomes a moot point and the horn has significant dents again?”

@muramusan 6 ай бұрын

Wonder how many times you can bend brass or the strength lost till it gives up 😢 but glad it's looking good and will sound great.

@mikerichards6311 6 ай бұрын

👍👏🏻

@geoffmoore7874 6 ай бұрын

I have a 1954 Julius Keelworth Alto Saxaphone made in Germany. It has plastic guard over the C#, B and Bb keys and it has been damaged and glued together over the years.We have contacted Keelworth in America and Germany and they have suggested a metal guard as they dont have a replacement for the plastic. Would you have any suggestions so I can keep the original look with a plastic guard? Any help would be appreciated.

@terrydoberstein6742 6 ай бұрын

Was wondering if the temperature of the metal, plays any part on how easy it can be worked?

@funwithmadness 4 ай бұрын

With that much tapping, do you ever have trouble with the brass work hardening? If so, how do you anneal it without trashing the finish?

@bobstevens6153 6 ай бұрын

Is the repaired area weaker after all the damage and repair work?

@incy55 6 ай бұрын

Do you see a change with each hammer stroke?

@Tomchannel-uz7vr Ай бұрын

What do you use to clean pipes that have limescale buildup?

@nytestar4035 6 ай бұрын

What are you rubbing on the dent ball? Is that for lubrication? I usually spray a little pledge (furniture polish) on mine.

@adenoidhinkel34 6 ай бұрын

Dear master!!! When the alarm clock rang and you looked at your watch, was it a signal to have lunch?

@twinsmm1 6 ай бұрын

Probably not worth it but have you tried using one of those paintless dent repair lights?

@davidwood351 6 ай бұрын

Question: does a dented body tube distort the sound of an instrument? It seems to me that the sound waves would be impeded, and the tonal qualities would be altered.

@johns3106 6 ай бұрын

Short answer…yes…when dents are bad enough it impedes the airflow through the instrument, often resulting (if I’m not mistaken) in the pitch becoming sharper.