Repro aluminum horn
Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 12:11 pm
The other day I accidentally bumped into one of my original 14" Columbia aluminum horns and inevitably damaged it. #$%^&*()!!!!!
Fortunately I was able to bend it back into shape reasonably well, but I decided that display is simply too precarious to risk seriously damaging such a scarce and fragile aluminum horn, especially one in such unusually nice original condition. Someone will bump into it again. So I decided to buy one of the repros that Curt A. mentioned in this post to use on that machine, figuring that if it gets dented, it's not a big loss.
I received it yesterday. I must say it really does look beautiful. It's also very interestingly constructed -- spun from one piece of aluminum. There's no body seam, and even the bell is part of the body. What appears to be a crimp to mount the bell as seen on originals is simply pressed into the aluminum. It has a flawless and very bright exterior polish, which I don't usually see on spun repro aluminum Pathé-style horns.
It differs from original in another way -- it's very heavy. My originals weigh 2.6 oz. and 2.65 oz. respectively. This repro weighs 8.92 oz. That might be problematic if it's used on machines with pot metal trunnions, but it is perfect for my need since it would be very hard to dent it, unlike the very thin and fragile originals.
Fortunately I was able to bend it back into shape reasonably well, but I decided that display is simply too precarious to risk seriously damaging such a scarce and fragile aluminum horn, especially one in such unusually nice original condition. Someone will bump into it again. So I decided to buy one of the repros that Curt A. mentioned in this post to use on that machine, figuring that if it gets dented, it's not a big loss.
I received it yesterday. I must say it really does look beautiful. It's also very interestingly constructed -- spun from one piece of aluminum. There's no body seam, and even the bell is part of the body. What appears to be a crimp to mount the bell as seen on originals is simply pressed into the aluminum. It has a flawless and very bright exterior polish, which I don't usually see on spun repro aluminum Pathé-style horns.
It differs from original in another way -- it's very heavy. My originals weigh 2.6 oz. and 2.65 oz. respectively. This repro weighs 8.92 oz. That might be problematic if it's used on machines with pot metal trunnions, but it is perfect for my need since it would be very hard to dent it, unlike the very thin and fragile originals.