How It's Made Trombones

Summary

The modern trombone remains quite similar to its medieval ancestor, the 'sackbut,' known for its unique S-shaped hand slide and bell. This video explores the intricate craftsmanship behind building a trombone, from shaping the brass bell and stem to bending the tubing and assembling the components. Skilled artisans hammer, roll, and stretch the brass with precision, while freezing techniques prevent the tubing from buckling. The process concludes with engraving and polishing, showcasing how a custom trombone takes around 50 hours to complete. The result is a versatile instrument, capable of both bold and mellow tones.

Takeaways

• 🎺 The modern trombone has retained much of its design from its medieval predecessor, the sackbut.
• 🔄 The trombone uses a unique hand slide mechanism to change pitch, unlike most other brass instruments.
• 🔨 The bell stem of a trombone is shaped by hammering brass around a steel rod.
• 🔥 An acetylene torch is used to melt brass alloy wire, bonding the trombone's seam securely.
• ⚙️ A seam roller applies two tons of pressure to thin the overlapping seam, followed by reshaping the bell stem.
• 🔧 The bell flare is shaped from a brass disc on a spinning lathe, requiring skilled craftsmanship for precision.
• 🔑 The shape of the bell flare is critical for determining the trombone's tone.
• 💡 Tubing is stretched using a hydraulic cylinder, then filled with water and frozen to prevent buckling during bending.
• 🔄 Steel balls are used to round the inside of the tubing, ensuring the correct diameter is achieved.
• 💎 The trombone is completed with a company logo engraving and polished for a final finish, taking around 50 hours to build.

Q & A

What is the medieval predecessor of the modern trombone?

The medieval predecessor of the modern trombone is known as the 'sacbut,' which had a distinctive S-shaped hand slide and bell section.

How does the trombone differ from other brass instruments?

Unlike other brass instruments, the trombone uses a hand slide instead of valves to change pitch, allowing it to smoothly slide between notes.

What is the first step in making the bell stem of a trombone?

The first step in making the bell stem is cutting brass in the pattern of the bell stem and then shaping it by wrapping it around a steel rod.

How is the seam of the bell stem joined?

The seam of the bell stem is joined using an acetylene torch, melting brass alloy wire to securely bond the seam.

What happens after the bell stem seam is joined?

After joining the seam, the bell stem is passed through a seam roller applying two tons of pressure to thin the seam. It is then hammered and shaped to round it out.

How is the flare of the trombone bell created?

The flare is created by placing a brass disc on a spinning lathe and using a tool to shape the spinning disc into a flare, which is then brazed to the bell stem.

Why is the shape of the trombone's flare important?

The shape of the trombone’s flare is crucial because it directly affects the tone and sound quality of the instrument.

How is the tubing of the trombone bent into shape?

The tubing is filled with water, frozen to prevent buckling, and then bent around a U-shaped block, which hardens the tube as it is shaped.

What process ensures the tubing has the correct diameter?

Steel balls of varying sizes are pushed through the tubing to stretch its inside and ensure it is rounded to the correct diameter.

How long does it take to build a custom trombone?

A custom trombone takes approximately 50 hours to build.