Repairing a VERY Dented Bell: Old Cornet Restoration Project #4 

in engineering, we call hardening of the metal as it's moved "work hardening". You can experience the same phenomenon by bending a paperclip back and forth until it breaks. Heating the metal to recrystallize the microscopic structure and make it soft again is called annealing. This video has a great explanation of how repair/restoration technicians can use heat to manipulate the properties of the metal.

Always a pleasure to see a master at work. Your care and forethought, your explanations are great, a real education.

I have two daughters in band, one a sophomore and the other just starting in 7th grade. There has already been some damage to the trumpets we have and I have ordered a roller to see if I can work them out, from following the bell repair video you have out. I have been a mechanic most of my life and I am am impressed with the way you go about the work you do, patient, methodical and with an eye on the outcome.

Already commented once, but your calm and patient approach to instrument repair is great to watch. It shows your skill when you attack problems with the least aggressive means necessary to get the job done, only working up towards more aggressive as needed. Others doing a job like this might easily dismiss problems with the attitude of "Its just a cheap, broken old horn anyways what doest it matter" and go at it with a big hammer or rush things straight away but you approach fixing instruments as if each was a prized possession. Curious how you will patch the hole. I have zero clue but Im gunna guess it will be with silver solder or some other kind of brazing

You are a miracle worker! It was a joy to watch.

Very impressive work!

Amazing videos! I have started learning instrument repair because of your channel. The hardest part for me has been diagnosing what is actually wrong with the instruments.

Both me and my son, can not wait for the next videos. Thank you

Amazing work . My father worked at Shaffers piano in Silver Springs MD. As kid I spent many a day exploring the depths of that store. Many many instruments. Watched many repairs. Awsome job. Great video

I was looking forward to this part of the restoration job..I like to tinker on old brass and have limited tools, but able to repair quite a bit with them...nice work

that was a pretty involved process. thanks for sharing how this is done.

Very nice, and thoughtful, work. Thanks for the video!

Amazing video, thank you. Looking forward to the finished job! Great to see such skill.

You are on the advanced level to be sure! Thanks for the video. One more notch of damage and the instrument would have been in pieces!

Loving this series!

Outstanding work,thanks for sharing.

Great video, very informative! Thanks for your work!

Hola, apresar de no entrar el idioma lo entiendo pues compartimos el mismo trabajó desde Cuba lo saludo y excelente trabajo y excitos.

that is very interesting and difficult teacher thanks for your response eternal health

This is really interesting!

Good stuff. You are a real artisan. I don't suppose you have a video on getting a dent out of the bottom of a bass clarinet bell?

Can you add a detailed fixing a 2nd valve stuck slide on a trumpet video? I can't find one anywhere, and It seems like tugging on with lantern wick or using the drumstick method could cause a dent in the valve body.

some of the older instruments are ridiculously hard and thick metal, I wonder if they made them like that so they could take all the marching and abuse!

Am really enjoying your videos. I have been a brass player for 30 years now and never looked into repairs but your videos are showing a real insight into the craft. Where do you get your repair tools from?

That dent was almost beyond most repairable as it had locks in it . Make no mistake this artisan knows the feel of what hes doing, that only comes with experience . That he didnt split the metal any more was an indicaton of that. I'll guess that repair price with out the refinishing would be around 350. to 400.

Is it possible to temper a trumpet bell?

I didn’t know Macaulay culkin worked on brass instruments

I'm thinking about the ends of the different mandrels. Why are they so relatively square cut? Why not rounded in a semi-spherical or paraboloid fashion? There must be some considerations at play there. What would be the cons ond pros?

Well done! I'm just curios what is the reason you never use a roller on this dent?

I can't imagine being careless enough with a musical instrument to cause this kind of damage.

Great job the brass woodwind. May i take your ur country name and any contact ?

The moral of the story: Don't step on your cornet.