There used to be a Matt Stohrer video on straightening a bell but I can't seem to find it. I wonder if it was taken down. He had a special metal form if I recall correctly. You could fashion something out of hardwood if you had a horn that wasn't bent as a template.

Someone on SOTW posted a video just last week I believe where he massaged a bent bell back into shape. He formed a tool out of hardwood to fit the bell. Do a search you'll find it.

I ran into a cabinet while walking through the house one day and slightly bent the bell on my tenor. I was able to pull it back out so it can't be seen just using my hands. The metal is soft on most horns.

 

The method I use that doesn't need expensive equipment or tools is to place the bell face down on a thick phone book or equivalent and let the front portion of the bell than is bent down hang over the edge. Then I take a rubber mallet and carefully tap the bent area to bring it back up to match the rest of the bell. If you go too far you can tap it back a bit. Lots of small taps work better than a few big ones, depending upon the thickness of the metal.

 

Fantastic! Whilst I am happy to make tools (I make all of my own sax specific ones generally) but your idea is so much easier and quicker. Thanks!

 

here is Matt's video

 

That's what I call a 'warped' bell flare and it is true that you can use your hands to correct it in most cases. You can rig up a leak light in the bell, then stand the horn on its bell flare at the edge of a table or counter top with a very flat surface so you can see the light in the the 'high' areas (never walk away and leave a sax sitting like this - its an accident looking for a place to happen). You mark those with a grease pencil. In metal working, you have to push the meatal a little past the correct point so when it relaxes, its right. That's why you can't just beat on it while its on the table on its bell. It might get a little better but it still won't be straight. You also must avoid 'point' loads to prevent kinking/denting. On most premium saxes, the rolled edge of the bell flare contains a soft iron wire which is how they rolled it at the factory so while this makes the warp a little harder to correct, it also helps to keep you from collapsing the roll or pushing it out of shape.

 

Thanks everyone, my trusty old soft rubber mallet, that has done great service over the years on the various classic cars I have owned, was brought into service and five minutes later it looks as good as new, well maybe not quite as good as new As the silver was quite tarnished anyway but some polish will see to that!

 

Congrats on your DIY repair. It is only when the bend is extreme enough to create a "ridge" that rollers and/or mandrels are needed to produce a good "cosmetic" repair. Even then on lacquered instruments there may be a clouded area where the metal was moved the most.

 

Thanks! I have done a few now, as well as trumpets, clarinets and flutes but I got this one as it's a real challenge (and overpaid for sure). As well as the usual pads, springs and a few dents (some big ones) it needed the bell sorting, a few bits of replating, a couple of stuck pins, badly soldered guards, bent keys and it was the worst regulated sax I have ever had my hands on! Some pads left a full 1-2mm clearance when the relevant key was pressed.To me, there are few greater pleasures in life than the first time you get a tune from an instrument destined to be scrapped.