what is this brass horn worth, before and after repair? Before I put it on the classifieds, I would like to ask a fair price.
How might I repsir it? The seem is about a quarte inch or shorter. I was thinking about a small dab of JB weld just to fill it in and smooth it over.
It should polish up nicely. What year is it, a 15?
It is a Ruby with good screen.
The oval mount makes it a late 1912 - 1914 single twist horn. Everything except the rim would have been painted black originally.
Here's a late 1912 slab side touring with that horn:
Here's a '13:
And finally a '14:
Thanks Royce. I should have said, this came off a slab side late 12 touring - duh.
I would like to dress the car up with earlier brass so I am going to sell this one. Any idea what to ask?
I would let the purchaser do the repairs. If he wants to braze it or use other methods, the Jb weld may contaminate the metal and make another type repair difficult or impossible. That would hurt the resale more than help.
If you put JB Weld on it, I would consider it worthless.
Brass horn repair experts often use heavy duty magnets for repairing dents inside horns. They drop various sized steel balls inside and run the magnet back and forth on the outside, kinda like an english wheel.
That's interesting about the balls and magnet.
Brass musical instrument repair shops use steel balls and barrels of various sizes that they can push and pull through the instrument with a driver (a rod or cable, etc.).
http://www.ferreestools.com/brasswindtools/brasswind-dent-balls.html
Gary Hoonsbeen wrote an article in Horseless Carriage magazine using the same tools to fix brass automobile horns.
I had never heard of using magnets as Ed mentioned above but doing a quick Google search I see there is a lot of information out there including videos showing that process. For example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vAM8_BEz7g
You can't use balls on a brass horn because of the solder inside!
That video was cool!!!
Robert
I've bought them in that condition with out holes for $45-$75 you can expect to pay at least $150 for repairs maybe more depending on who you use...
I bought a triple twist on T-bay for $63.00 plus $10 to ship it. I sent it for restoration, $135 plus shipping to and from as well as insurance. When it was all said and done I had maybe $250 in it total.....
Hope this helps answer your questions.
Nicholas, explain why you think solder will stop brass being repaired.
It was only yesterday I saw a trumpet being repaired on "how is it made "with the steel ball magnet process, worked great.
Musical instruments are made from seamless tubing, brass horns are made in two pieces soldered together.
Music instrument repair persons have for many years repaired brass auto horns. I assume they have used the steel ball method.. These horn are easy to solder. I assume they are taken apart for repair.
Nicholas, I have Rubes horns on two of my cars, one is a triple twist, which I purchased in Centerville IN. It was LH and as my T is RHD I had to disassemble it and reassemble to Right Hand.
Parts of is are made in two pieces but they are not soldered together they are brass welded. This means they can easily be softened and worked on. The welded joint is slightly thicker than the material of the horn but it does not prevent it being worked on with the steel balls away from the join.
FYI - there is no such thing as a "triple twist" Model T Ford horn. Count them, there are two circles.
I am quoting Bruce McCalley.
Royce, you are correct it's not 3 twists, old habits die hard, been calling them that for so long forgot Bruce had "corrected" us. Actually mine is 2 1/4 twists ???