Double Bass Tuning machine key failing - weld or braze?

[DoubleMIDI]

Here's your Kobayashi Maru moment: The gig is tomorrow, what's the solution? And no, you can't use another bass.

Easy. Everybody tunes to your untunable string.
If you need to mount the string, use pliers, but for fine tuning you give the tuning note for the others.

 

[misterbadger]

And that always works so well with the piano.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

And that always works so well with the piano.

Well, we tune so often to the piano, why shouldn't the piano tune one to someone else?

 

[misterbadger]

Yeah!!! It's about time we get some respect. It'll make for some slightly longer breaks if the tuning drops mid-set...

 

[robobass]

Wikipedia: "Nickel silver, Mailechort, German silver, Argentan, new silver, nickel brass, albata, alpacca, or electrum is a copper alloy with nickel and often zinc. The usual formulation is 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc. Nickel silver is named for its silvery appearance, but it contains no elemental silver unless plated."

This stuff is very strong, fairly easy to cut, silver solders well, and color matches well to nickel plated brass. I'd consider making four replacement plates, and switching them out as necessary. Disclaimer: I'm not sure how easy it is to solder to the iron shaft. I've used silver solder to attach brass to various steel alloys with no troubles, but have never tried iron.

 

[Fogducker]

Fixed this on my Kay C-1. I silver soldered it. In fact, while I was at it I did the other 3 tuners also! People other than jewelers can silver solder

 

[robobass]

Yes, I actually use soft solder (1425°F) and a butane torch. It's very important to have the right flux, I might add.

 

[Fogducker]

If you do solder it, make sure to put a heat sink on the shaft to keep the heat from the screw and gear area. A small wet cloth around the sensitive area will do that trick!