new repair shop/valve rebuilds: New England Brassworks, Nashua, NH

[arpthark]

Just FYI to anyone in New England, Jim Engele from Osmun Music has started his own concern and so far it has gotten some pretty good reviews from local folks. The big news is that they are doing valve plating. Currently only set up for small brass and rotary valves, but within the year they are planning to get the tools to do low brass piston replating. I don't think there are many (any?) other people in the Northeast doing valve rebuilds right now. They have a FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/p/New-England- ... 592162635/

[MiBrassFS]

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[Sousaswag]

Awesome! We need more people willing to do that work.

[bloke]

bravo

[Yorkboy]

Wow, this is great news, thank you for bringing it to prominence. I’ll be watching closely - - -

There’s been a pretty big hole in this department since Mr Secrist retired from Anderson. And, it appears to be close enough to be a day trip (or a day and a half, anyway).

[arpthark]

I just reached out to Jim and he confirmed that they are rebuilding tuba valves now.

[catgrowlB]

^ So I'm guessing valvesets can be shipped up there to be replated/rebuilt? Of course with correspondence and agreement first. That's fantastic and very much needed

[arpthark]

I paid Jim and co. a visit today. Two hour drive through some really pretty fall colors in northern MA into NH, the return trip took me back through some cute little villages with fall festivals going on, idyllic New England. Anyway...

Stopped in on Jim and the gang in Nashua today. I had them look at the York and was quoted $500 per piston for replating. Considering what I paid for the horn, I think I'm going to do it. Jim has a really neat setup with his honing machine and all kinds of tables and charts, thickness diagrams, how long to keep a piston in plating solution... he has it pretty well figured out. Had a really nice chat as he showed me around the shop. For the York, turnaround time was quoted to me as a couple months, so I'm electing to disassemble the horn myself and mail them the valveset -- they say they accept this kind of work frequently.

I also left them my big Rudi 5/4 CC for a chem cleaning and a few little quality of life improvements that I could have probably done myself, but figured I might as well have them take care of while I was there. Venting the first rotor, installing a slide stopper, dent work on the bell, things like that.

Overall, I was really impressed with their shop and they are extremely nice!