Converting a Sax lamp BACK to a Sax: Can it be done?

saxyjare01 · Dec 21, 2011

Hello SOTW,

I have an interesting story. A buddy of mine was given an old sax lamp by his uncle with the keys glued shut, the neck attached, and a clear epoxy throughout the body of the horn and neck.

It turns out that this lamp is an 60XXX Mark Vi Tenor.

Has anyone seen a sax lamp revitalized at all?

Is it possible?

Is it worth it?

Let's discuss.

Thanks

Save Trees · Dec 21, 2011

It turns out that this lamp is an 60XXX Mark Vi Tenor.

^ Made me sad.

But anyway it seems like all the glue on the sax might make this impossible. Just my two cents. I don't know if it would be worth it.

StanleySaxMan · Dec 21, 2011

saxyjare01 said:
Hello SOTW,

I have an interesting story. A buddy of mine was given an old sax lamp by his uncle with the keys glued shut, the neck attached, and a clear epoxy throughout the body of the horn and neck.

It turns out that this lamp is an 60XXX Mark Vi Tenor.

Has anyone seen a sax lamp revitalized at all?

Is it possible?

Is it worth it?

Let's discuss.

Thanks

With enough time and money put into it, I do believe that you could possibly get it back into playing condition. I think it may not turn out to be a very pretty horn esthetically, but looks are not everything.

VintageSaxGuy · Dec 21, 2011

Yes, and there is a member here who converted a MK VI alto from a lamp into a player again.

Anything can be brought back...but it doesn't mean it will be easy (depending on just how everything was mounted and wired).

adamk · Dec 21, 2011

Epoxy is very hard to get rid of. I worked on a harp that had some. I stripped off all the regular finish with ease, but the epoxy barely softened. Maybe heating it would work. If you can find a solvent that works, dipping might be the way.

jetmech · Dec 21, 2011

I have a vat here at work that would probably make quick work of it. Stripped the ugly gold metalflake (epoxy??) paint off an old student bundy like nothing.

Pete Thomas · Dec 21, 2011

I know of someone who did a very similar project. The MKVI was being used as a plant pot. When I saw it it looked like "Night of the Living Deadsax". I'm sure the epoxy can be removed, there may be a lot of reconstruction involved, especially if heat has to be used to remove the epoxy and solder (either normal or silver) gets melted in the process. I get the feeling a tech good enough to actually do such reconstruction would have fees that might mean the actual cost of restoration is very close to the final value of an (unlacquered) MKVI.

DavidW · Dec 22, 2011

You could just play low Bb's on it.

Kelpie · Dec 22, 2011

^^^I think he meant there was epoxy resin poured into the entire body of the sax. If so, you have to find something that will soften epoxy. I had a vandal once epoxy my door lock tumblers on my Chevy pickup truck and acetone dissolved the epoxy (I think it was epoxy, but not completely sure).

saxyjare01 · Dec 22, 2011

Kelpie said:
^^^I think he meant there was epoxy resin poured into the entire body of the sax. If so, you have to find something that will soften epoxy.

Yes, there is resin poured down the bell. That's where the lamp is sticking out of.

Woosax · Dec 22, 2011

Sounds like a LOT of work with no guarantee of a good payoff. Some VIs were dogs. Maybe this one is a lamp for reason

Grumps · Dec 22, 2011

I'd sell it on Ebay as is:

MARK VI TENOR SAXOPHONE 60,XXX!!!
I'm not a saxophone player, so I'm not sure if this is in playing condition...

jetmech · Dec 22, 2011

I'd try to restore it, but I have time and access to some pretty good cleaning vats and chemicals.

Canadiain · Dec 22, 2011

Woosax said:
Sounds like a LOT of work with no guarantee of a good payoff. Some VIs were dogs. Maybe this one is a lamp for reason

Thats pretty much what I was thinking.

If it dissolved in Acetone it wasnt epoxy... Epoxy cross links, its virtually chemical proof. Dichloromethane might soften it some, not sure if its been banned yet or not.

cymru97 · Dec 22, 2011

saxyjare01 said:
Yes, there is resin poured down the bell. That's where the lamp is sticking out of.

So, just for clarification, is the epoxy only in the bell/bow? Or is it in the body tube as well? Not that it wouldn't be difficult, but I'd think it would be a lot easier to remove from the bell/bow than the body tube...

Oh and it would be worth finding out if it is indeed epoxy or some other, more workable, material.

82zguy · Dec 22, 2011

It would seem like an awful lot of work just to "excavate" a saxophone. You might as well just save up for another mark vi. Or you have yourself the world's nicest keyless sax!

StanleySaxMan · Dec 22, 2011

When you think about it though, this would make a very interesting project and also this horn would have a great story attached to it.

dubrosa22 · Dec 22, 2011

Hmm, I think it would the tone would be way too *bright*
Tungsten-like you could say :mrgreen:

cymru97 · Dec 22, 2011

cymru97 said:
So, just for clarification, is the epoxy only in the bell/bow? Or is it in the body tube as well? Not that it wouldn't be difficult, but I'd think it would be a lot easier to remove from the bell/bow than the body tube...

Oh and it would be worth finding out if it is indeed epoxy or some other, more workable, material.

Duh, I get low marks for reading comprehension today. I see you state the epoxy is throughout the body and neck. Bummer. Still worth testing the material...

HUTMO · Dec 23, 2011

Oh man... sounds like a project for me!!!

Here's a website I did for a lamp reclamation project.
http://epiphanybullterriers.com/chu_alto/chualto.htm

ChiTown sax still has this one last time I asked. She came out great.

HUTMO

Converting a Sax lamp BACK to a Sax: Can it be done?

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