What is this brass horn worth, before and after repair?

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: What is this brass horn worth, before and after repair?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Poane on Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 04:44 pm:

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.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Poane on Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 04:46 pm:

It should polish up nicely. What year is it, a 15?
It is a Ruby with good screen.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Georgetown TX on Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 05:02 pm:

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:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Poane on Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 05:07 pm:

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?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mack Cole ---- Earth on Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 05:08 pm:

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.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Putnam, Bluffton, Ohio on Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 05:18 pm:

If you put JB Weld on it, I would consider it worthless.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ed in California on Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 05:19 pm:

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.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Poane on Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 05:24 pm:

That's interesting about the balls and magnet.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 05:40 pm:

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


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nicholas Lingg - Tarboro, NC on Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 06:03 pm:

You can't use balls on a brass horn because of the solder inside!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Poane on Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 06:51 pm:

That video was cool!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve McClelland on Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 09:32 pm:

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.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Kable on Monday, October 06, 2014 - 12:48 am:

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.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nicholas Lingg - Tarboro, NC on Monday, October 06, 2014 - 07:29 am:

Musical instruments are made from seamless tubing, brass horns are made in two pieces soldered together.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Darel J. Leipold on Monday, October 06, 2014 - 04:46 pm:

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.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Kable on Monday, October 06, 2014 - 06:06 pm:

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.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Georgetown TX on Monday, October 06, 2014 - 09:54 pm:

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.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Kable on Tuesday, October 07, 2014 - 01:27 am:

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 ???


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