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Author Topic: pallets  (Read 4740 times)

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waltzman

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pallets
« on: February 08, 2009, 09:06:57 PM »

I'm getting ready to replace the pallet leather on my Hohner Erika club.  The old leather that is on it is extremely thin.  The leather that I found is very thin but is still quite a bit thicker than what is on there now.  If I add felt to that I am concerned about having enough clearance btween the pallet and the soundboard particularly along the bottom row.  How thick of a 'sandwich' will work here and do you have to do other modifications to allow for adequate clearance?  Even if I just replaced the leather without the felt I'm sure it would be much quieter.  Since that is the way it was originally designed I'm wondering if the felt will cause more trouble than it's worth.
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an bosca ceoil

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Re: pallets
« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2009, 09:32:03 PM »

Felt would have to be VERY thick to cause any such problem, some Hohners had felt+ leather as standard.
If you go much thicker than 3mm  you will probably have to adjust the levers anyway, because the buttons will  then be too low.
Should also point out that you will need to ensure that the pallets land flat by breaking and regluing the joints with their levers.
Regards, Bruce
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finnhorse

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Re: pallets
« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2009, 11:10:24 PM »

Glue the felt to the shiny side of the leather, press some books on top of it while it dries.  Felt that I used was from a craft store, it came in 8.5" x 11" sheets and was very thin, not much thicker than a sweatshirt.  Under the pressure of the spring/levers, the pallets bed in to make a nice seal and also compress naturally so I wouldn't be too concerned with the thickness. 

The most important part of the job is making sure the pallets lie flat once the new pads are applied (otherwise you have leaks), but ensuring that the felt is cut to the correct size requires (or is easier) removing the pallets from the levers... so you'll have that base covered when you put them back in place.

Keeping track of which pallets correspond to which levers could be useful in the event that Hohner's aim was off in drilling the holes through the soundboard.  New felt should bed in to correct some of this problem, but who knows there could be another issue.
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nousuvesi

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Re: pallets
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2009, 01:22:56 AM »

What glue should be used in these instances?
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Nathan S.

finnhorse

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Re: pallets
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2009, 01:51:08 AM »

I used white craft glue, which stated on the label that it was useful for permanently bonding various surfaces, including wood, metal, and fabric. 

It's similar to this one, and basically the same http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayProductPage?productNum=gc0233&channelid=

I think it was about $6 for the bottle.  When applying the glue to the felt, a little bit made a very strong bond but it was important to apply a *thin* layer of glue consistently over the entire surface area of the felt, otherwise select areas of the felt would be affixed while other areas would peel up.  I applied a thin bead in a close grid to correct this.  I thought the glue might also sink into the felt and not bond, so I pressed it with the unabridged Random House dictionary (sorry guys... complete hard copy of the OED is a a student bank buster.  I'd rather pay for the online subscription!  :)) Make sure the glue is completely dry before laying the pallets over it and cutting them to fit.

Ah.. and too much glue will ruin the "felt" properties of the felt so you don't want to totally impregnate it.
« Last Edit: February 09, 2009, 01:52:58 AM by finnhorse »
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Theo

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Re: pallets
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2009, 08:12:30 AM »

Ah.. and too much glue will ruin the "felt" properties of the felt so you don't want to totally impregnate it.

Much better to apply the glue to the leather, and use the minimum quantity that will work.

Thicknesses:  1mm leather + 1mm felt works for me, but then I still expect to bend the levers slightly to get the right button height.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Martin J

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Re: pallets
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2009, 09:23:25 AM »

Save the bother of laminating your own felt.  Charlie Marshall* sells it ready laminated, excellent quality and all for a few quid.

* See CGM, Shops & Repairers from the main menu.
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Castagnari, Weltmeister, Giustozzi, Streb, too many Hohners.  No Strings Attached ceilidh band

old geezer

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Re: pallets
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2009, 09:48:03 AM »

If you haven't  already removed the pallets, mark the top of each one.
The slot in the Hohner pallets are deeper in one end than the other, allowing for the lower end of the lever to pass over the slot and, the end of the lever to 'bottom' in the middle of the pallet

yep... been there done that
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waltzman

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Re: pallets
« Reply #8 on: February 09, 2009, 12:16:57 PM »

Ah.. and too much glue will ruin the "felt" properties of the felt so you don't want to totally impregnate it.

Much better to apply the glue to the leather, and use the minimum quantity that will work.

Thicknesses:  1mm leather + 1mm felt works for me, but then I still expect to bend the levers slightly to get the right button height.

I was hoping to avoid having to bend the levers.  Not quite sure how to go about that.  The leather that is currently on there looks like chamois leather.  Does anyone use that?
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Theo

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Re: pallets
« Reply #9 on: February 09, 2009, 03:13:29 PM »

Chamois is not terribly good, because the thickness varies so much. 

 
Save the bother of laminating your own felt.  Charlie Marshall* sells it ready laminated, excellent quality and all for a few quid.

* See CGM, Shops & Repairers from the main menu.

Why not use the proper stuff, easily available, not desperately expensive, why look for a substitute?
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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waltzman

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Re: pallets
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2009, 03:44:12 PM »

Anyone care to suggest a technique for bending the levers on a hohner to adjust button height?
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Theo

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Re: pallets
« Reply #11 on: February 09, 2009, 05:56:35 PM »

Its fairly brutal I'm afraid.   Take grill off but with everything else in place>
To lower the button press down on the pallet and then press down on the button at the same time.
To raise a button pull up on the lever attached to the pallet.  For the outside row its easy enough to get hold of the lever with your fingers, for the shorter inside row levers you may want to use a hook.

Bending the levers sometimes causes the buttons to tilt slightly sideways and no longer sit centrally in the fingerboard holes.  To straighten those I use a pair of pliers with a long curved nosed with which I can grasp the button side of the lever and adjust as necessary.

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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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waltzman

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Re: pallets
« Reply #12 on: February 09, 2009, 06:08:14 PM »

Its fairly brutal I'm afraid.   

I was afraid of that.
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tom f

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Re: pallets
« Reply #13 on: February 15, 2009, 08:22:34 PM »

Just completed the resurfacing of the pallets on a Club 1 (with Charlie Marshalls 1mm felt plus 1mm leather), probably the easiest and most satisfying job so far.  I used Copydex to glue them and this seems to have been effective.  Did I read somewhere that the pallets can be fixed for position on the levers with silicone sealant?
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waltzman

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Re: pallets
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2009, 10:21:07 PM »

I would like to share a less brutal technique for adjusting the button height on a Hohner Erika club after replacing the pads.  The idea of bending the levers in exactly the direction they were designed NOT to bend just didn't appeal to me. 

I inserted a 1/16th inch basswood shim under the pallet lever mechanism and also between the fingerboard and the body of the melodeon.  The effect was to shift the entire treble mechanism and fingerboard exactly 1/16th inch away from the 'soundboard'.  The shim was slightly less than the thickness of the felt/leather pad.  This raised the buttons evenly exactly the right amount.  It also allows the pallets to move away from the 'soundboard' at less of an acute angle especially along the lower row. 

Hobby stores sell basswood and balsa wood in various thicknesses in 1/32 inch increments.  Best of all, the whole modification is entirely reversable if you don't like the result.  The only noticeable difference is a 1/16th inch gap where the fingerboard was originally cut away at the ends to fit against the body of the melodeon....only noticeable if you are really looking for it.
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