How to Silver-Plate a Saxophone
The brass finish on an old saxophone may be worn and dull, but you can make the horn look new again by silver-plating it. The actual process of silver-plating is not all too difficult, but the secret of getting a finished product that you're proud of is all in the preparation. This is not a project that should be attempted unless you are an experienced instrument technician, because the instrument needs to be completely taken apart and re-assembled with new pads and corks. This can also be a dangerous and environmentally unfriendly process since cyanide is used in the process.
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Things You'll Need
- Instrument repair tools
- Jeweler's buffing wheels
- Jeweler's rouge, red
- Jeweler's rouge, white
- Polishing rags
- Silver cyanide (AgCN)
- Tank, for electroplating, with parts basket
- Six-volt transformer with cathode and anode wires attached
- Silver conditioner
Instructions
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How to Silver-Plate a Saxophone
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1
Disassemble the instrument, being careful to remove the pieces in order. The pieces should be stored in a manner that will make re-assembly as easy as possible. Remove and discard all the pads and corks.
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2
Repair any dents in the instrument. Check the posts to make sure that they are firmly soldered in place. Repair any that are in need. Soak the body, neck, and keys in a methylene chloride paint stripper to remove lacquer from the horn. Rinse all the parts thoroughly to remove all of the lacquer and stripper residue.
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3
Buff all the parts on the buffing wheels using jeweler's rouge. Follow the red rouge with white rouge for polishing. A third buffing with a soft cloth jeweler's wheel will complete the buffing process. Use a fine polishing rag to buff areas that cannot be reached with a wheel.
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4
Wipe all parts with a dust-free polishing rag to remove any dust and buffing material that may be remaining. Use a saxophone swab to remove all residue and debris from the inside of the body and neck. Wipe out all debris from the inside of the pad cups.
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5
Place the parts in a parts basket and put the basket into the tank containing the silver cyanide solution. Suspend the saxophone body on a cord inserted from the top to the bottom pad hole and lower into the plating solution. Insert the cathode and anode that are attached to the electric source into the silver cyanide solution and start the electricity flowing. Gently move the parts basket and body back and forth in the solution every half hour to insure even plating. Remove the parts and body after six hours, rinse and dry thoroughly.
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6
Use a soft cloth and apply silver conditioner. This step will inhibit tarnishing. Put new pads in all the pad cups. Glue new cords to all the bumpers and replace the mouthpiece cork on the neck. Replace any springs that are worn and weak and insert them into the spring holes. Heat seat the pads and adjust any leaks.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Make a wooden block with a diagram of the saxophone and drill holes to store the screws, pivot rods and springs.
Silver cyanide is extremely hazardous. Make sure the work area is well ventilated. Always wear protective gloves when working with the plating material. Check with your local waste management department for silver cyanide disposal. There are non-silver cyanide plating methods, but they are not adequate for musical instruments because they do not leave a thick enough layer of silver and tend to have a yellowish tint.
