Melodeon.net Forums

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Welcome to the new melodeon.net forum

Pages: 1 2 [3]   Go Down

Author Topic: refurbishing 4-stop with rusty reeds  (Read 5298 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

mselic

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1331
Re: refurbishing 4-stop with rusty reeds
« Reply #40 on: August 06, 2018, 11:20:31 PM »

Also, in regards to my original query, I can report back that I used both a rubber sanding block and small, flat screwdriver with excellent results.
Logged
C#/D Serenellini 233, Manfrini, Saltarelle Irish Bouebe, and a few HA114s

triskel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3290
Re: refurbishing 4-stop with rusty reeds
« Reply #41 on: August 12, 2018, 11:23:17 PM »

I agree that having all blocks glued in is a great idea for tone!  Having said that, I'm sure triskel will agree that the Baldoni & Walters 1-row boxes can also sound great with easily-removable (and easily-serviced) melody reedblocks.

Indeed so, but they're not made in the German tradition, and have six or eight sets of reeds that give them a richer sound, especially on the (typically four) middle reeds - my old Baldoni had those tuned + & - 15, and +23 cents!

The old ones were also made with aluminium soundboards, and there's a thought - if you're going to move away from Hohner construction and modify a 114 to make the reedblocks clamped-in instead of glued, and need to make a new sounboard to achieve that, why not make it an aluminium one? >:E

pgroff

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1797
Re: refurbishing 4-stop with rusty reeds
« Reply #42 on: August 13, 2018, 12:45:47 AM »

I agree that having all blocks glued in is a great idea for tone!  Having said that, I'm sure triskel will agree that the Baldoni & Walters 1-row boxes can also sound great with easily-removable (and easily-serviced) melody reedblocks.

Indeed so, but they're not made in the German tradition, and have six or eight sets of reeds that give them a richer sound, especially on the (typically four) middle reeds - my old Baldoni had those tuned + & - 15, and +23 cents!

The old ones were also made with aluminium soundboards, and there's a thought - if you're going to move away from Hohner construction and modify a 114 to make the reedblocks clamped-in instead of glued, and need to make a new sounboard to achieve that, why not make it an aluminium one? >:E

I've thought of doing something like that with a Hohner Terzett, which is built into a box similar to a 1040 Vienna-style 1-row, but has 2 A-frame reedblocks on the melody side for 4 voices per button, (although the stock layout is that these 4 voices are harmonizing, making up chords, rather than double octave  + tremelo tuned as with a LMMH HA114) and has 1 stop.

PG
« Last Edit: August 13, 2018, 04:40:57 PM by pgroff »
Logged

mselic

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1331
Re: refurbishing 4-stop with rusty reeds
« Reply #43 on: August 17, 2018, 05:40:58 AM »

Reeds are all cleaned, valved, tuned and waxed back into place - the box sounds great!  Just a couple of questions...

1) I've adjusted the gap how I like it (as low as possible without choking), but what I've noticed is the odd Low/Bassoon note that chokes when played hard.  Would this suggest the gap is set too low? Right now, they speak without hesitation under normal pressure. Some of the lower notes have a weighted tip, and I'm really not sure how to properly set those.

2) I'm assuming this box hadn't been opened in a very long time; it took all my might and some persuading to get the bellows pins out as they were quite rusty and wouldn't budge.  I went to remove the plastic keyboard, but one of the screws holding the keyboard on would only turn about half a turn and then there was resistance.  The head also rotated a bit funny in place.The last time I forced a keyboard screw in one of these, the darn thing snapped off in place and it took many hours of work to get it out and a new thread tapped.  I want to avoid this at all costs!  Right now, I can leave the keyboard on, but I'd like to be able to get it off so that I can drill out the thumbstrap rivets and replace it with something better.  Any suggestions on how to approach this difficult screw and still be able to get the keyboard back on afterwards?

3) In the past, I've removed the pallets from the lever arms in order to replace the felt/leather, but the old glue would occasionally pull some of the pallet wood with it.  Any suggestions on how to do this a little more cleanly?
Logged
C#/D Serenellini 233, Manfrini, Saltarelle Irish Bouebe, and a few HA114s

Theo

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 13728
  • Hohner Club Too
    • The Box Place
Re: refurbishing 4-stop with rusty reeds
« Reply #44 on: August 17, 2018, 06:48:01 AM »

1)   the weighted reeds need a much larger gap.  Just increase the gap until the reed no longer chokes at your highest playing pressure.

2) Heat will sometimes help.  Use a hot soldering iron applied to the head of the screw for a minute or two.  Try the screw in both directions over the half turn that it moves. That can help to loosen things.

3) Hot soldering iron can help here too, to soften the glue.  Also run a sharp knife down each side of the lever to partially cut through the glue.  Then the pallet should come away without damage.
Logged
Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

Proprietor of The Box Place for melodeon and concertina sales and service.
Follow me on Twitter and Facebook for stock updates.
Pages: 1 2 [3]   Go Up
 


Melodeon.net - (c) Theo Gibb; Clive Williams 2010. The access and use of this website and forum featuring these terms and conditions constitutes your acceptance of these terms and conditions.
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal