Wind-Instrument Repairer

Repairs, cleans, and alters brasswind and woodwind musical instruments: Inspects instrument, moves mechanical parts, or plays scale to determine defects. Unscrews and removes rod pins, keys, pistons, and other parts. Removes soldered parts, using gas torch. Reshapes parts, using handtools. Removes dents, using mallet or burnishing tool. Fills cracks in wood instruments, using either of following methods. Inserts pinning wire into crack and covers wire with filler. Operates lathe to cut groove around cracks, applies filler, and clamps retaining band into groove, using hand-operated press. Solders patches over cracks in brass instruments, using silver solder, and files patched area to contour of instrument. Resolders parts, using silver or soft solder. Operates lathe to cut off end of metal tubing, or solders attachments onto tubing to improve instrument’s tone or intonation. Washes metal in lacquer-stripping solution and cyanide solution to remove lacquer coating and tarnish. Removes burrs from instrument valves, using scraping tool. Laps valves and pistons so they move freely. Heats key cups to melt shellac and removes pads. Polishes instruments, using rag and polishing compound, buffing wheel, or burnishing tool. Glues new pads and cork pieces on key cups, using hot shellac. Bends and cuts replacement springs and screws them into place. May be designated according to type of instrument repaired as Brasswind-Instrument Repairer; Woodwind-Instrument Repairer.