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Author Topic: Refurbishing a Hohner 1040  (Read 11326 times)

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boxcall

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Refurbishing a Hohner 1040
« on: March 10, 2015, 04:35:45 PM »

I have a Hohner presswood 1040 that I want to repair. when replacing valves is it best to tune the reeds before putting them back in box. I was thinking that I would try to do the valve replacement and re-wax reeds then send to the button box for tuning, as I don't feel like I could do the tuning. Is this an ok way to do it? or would it be better to just let them do it all.
and I think the most would recommend plastic valves?

« Last Edit: March 23, 2015, 06:40:35 PM by boxcall »
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Hohner 1040 C, Beltuna one row four stop D, O'Byrne Dewitt/ Baldoni bros. D/C#, Paolo soprani "pepperpot" one row D

Lester

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2015, 04:45:34 PM »

The final tuning will have to be done with the reeds fitted to the box so best to re-valve, re-wax then send off to BB.

boxcall

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2015, 06:18:03 PM »

Thanks Lester!!
A couple more questions, one reed came loose and fell out of position all the other reeds have H stamp facing out, so I'm assuming that how I should put it back making sure I keep the rest in order.
And I want to replace pallet facing whats the right material, use original thickness or thicker and will I have to adjust button height?  Also should pallets come off mechanism, I already took it out of the box both ends as they are a little rusty. thought I'd clean everything as I go. and I need to either remove the black paint on it to bring back presswood finish or repaint.
I remember you had pictures somewhere showing a lot of this, which I can't find now.
More questions to follow I'm sure (:)
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Lester

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2015, 06:38:37 PM »

Thanks Lester!!
A couple more questions, one reed came loose and fell out of position all the other reeds have H stamp facing out, so I'm assuming that how I should put it back making sure I keep the rest in order.
Yes the order is important and they should all have the H on the visible side

Quote
And I want to replace pallet facing whats the right material, use original thickness or thicker and will I have to adjust button height?
If you use the original thickness (just leather) the button height should remain OK, if you use thicker and thus quieter felt and leather the buton height will need to be reset. This is achieved by judicious bending of the mechanism.

The pallets will come off by gently working them back and forth. I would clean as much rust off as possible before refitting the mechs.
« Last Edit: March 10, 2015, 06:40:14 PM by Lester »
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boxcall

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2015, 06:51:30 PM »

Thanks again!
That sounds like it could be difficult where to bend midspan? and what do you bend it with.
Would it be possible to make the kerf in the pallet slightly deeper? maybe a dumb Idea.

I guess scape off the little button that holds pallet to lever then wiggle free?
and after cleaning metal is there any need to lightly coat with oil. runs for cover ;D
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Lester

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #5 on: March 10, 2015, 06:54:12 PM »

Thanks again!
That sounds like it could be difficult where to bend midspan? and what do you bend it with.
Would it be possible to make the kerf in the pallet slightly deeper? maybe a dumb Idea.

I guess scape off the little button that holds pallet to lever then wiggle free?
and after cleaning metal is there any need to lightly coat with oil. runs for cover ;D

NO OIL ANYWHERE it just collects dust and gums everything up!

Graham Spencer

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #6 on: March 10, 2015, 07:14:15 PM »

I support everything Lester has said; I use Charlie Marshall's felt-backed Persian leather for re-facing, and though it does make the buttons sit a little lower I've personally never felt (pun unintentional!) the need to adjust the button height afterwards. The original action on pretty well all the boxes I've rebuilt has already been a tad on the high side for my liking, and I've not had a problem with a pallet not opening fully after re-facing. A matter of personal choice; if you do feel the need to adjust the button height it is, as Lester says, a relatively straightforward matter of judicious and very gentle bending of the levers - not as frightening as it sounds once you've done it a time or two!

Graham
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boxcall

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2015, 09:17:46 PM »

Ok NO oil, I thought so. well first job is done I got it all broke down, reeds out and organized they are in pretty good shape.
should they get clean beyond just scraping away wax and glue?  Now I need to work on pallets and rust which isn't much.
I guess if I'm doing all this I should try take out the clack with thicker stuff and add bushings to bass side.
then decide if I want to take the black paint off (I'm not sure how well that will work with out taking original press-wood finish off, and corners are rusted) or keep it black and repaint sort of a mini pokerwork of death. 8)
thanks for your input!!
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diatonix

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2015, 11:47:00 PM »

 I consider re-valving and waxing (should it be required), which is not quite as straight forward as some want to believe, an important first step of the tuning process. Unless I've had the chance to do this myself (or if it's not done by a professional)  I'd not take on the job of doing the actual fine-tuning.
« Last Edit: March 10, 2015, 11:53:57 PM by diatonix »
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TomB-R

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2015, 12:00:37 AM »

If there's any rust to deal with I'd have thought the reeds are likely to need tuning before they go back on the blocks.  After that comes the "fine tuning."
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boxcall

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #10 on: March 11, 2015, 01:14:23 AM »

 Tom,
Not really any rust on reeds, just the treble mech. needs a little cleaning.

I consider re-valving and waxing (should it be required), which is not quite as straight forward as some want to believe, an important first step of the tuning process. Unless I've had the chance to do this myself (or if it's not done by a professional)  I'd not take on the job of doing the actual fine-tuning.
I plan on re-valving and waxing. And I'm a professional just not a melodeon repairman (:) but do have skills as I'm a contractor (home builder/ finish carpenter etc.) so I know how to measure and glue things. I guess the wax part would be a new thing. To bad wax doesn't come in a caulking gun.
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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #11 on: March 11, 2015, 10:04:47 AM »

If there's any rust to deal with I'd have thought the reeds are likely to need tuning before they go back on the blocks.
Not really. Unless the reeds are really badly rusted (in which case they may not be viable anyway) cleaning the rust off doesn't make too much difference to the pitch. Rusty reeds tend to be flat as the iron oxide is heavier than the unoxidised steel, so cleaning off the rust tends to sharpen the pitch again to somewhere near where it was originally, or perhaps a bit sharper. Once the rust is cleaned off, my recommendation would be to re-valve and re-wax back on to the blocks.
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rees

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #12 on: March 11, 2015, 12:47:54 PM »

What Steve said.
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boxcall

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #13 on: March 11, 2015, 01:08:23 PM »

So whats the recomened material for cleaning? Very lightly rusted and only in a few spots on just a couple reeds. And if it's on the under side of reed whats the best way to get at it. would you just lift reed and pass it over a very fine emory cloth or board?
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TomB-R

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #14 on: March 11, 2015, 01:11:19 PM »

Fair enough - in my most recent experience of rusty reeds a lot of them were significantly flat with rust near the base. Possibly due to the glue used for the leather valves?
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brazilian.BOX

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #15 on: March 11, 2015, 01:13:42 PM »

Tune alone and do all the maintenance. I dream about it. These services here in my country are very expensive.
Dream also in do the changing in the tunes... change the note of a reed in F and pass it to F# for example. Cause specially THIS service about do this chantings in the tune, passing a melodeon C-F to A-D for example is incredibly expensive here.  :-X
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Graham Spencer

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #16 on: March 11, 2015, 02:16:12 PM »

So whats the recomened material for cleaning? Very lightly rusted and only in a few spots on just a couple reeds. And if it's on the under side of reed whats the best way to get at it. would you just lift reed and pass it over a very fine emory cloth or board?

I find a glassfibre brush very useful on light rust. This kind of jobbie: http://www.agarscientific.com/glass-fibre-brushes.html

Graham
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Nick Collis Bird

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #17 on: March 11, 2015, 03:18:50 PM »

Interesting stuff. My Organette won't suffer though, I've had the reeds remade in stainless steel. :o
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boxcall

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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #18 on: March 11, 2015, 08:42:37 PM »

Thanks Graham!  I'll see if I can find some near by.
I was wondering about reed valves, on GCM web site there are assorted sets some with holes for rivets others with out. so whats best? assorted sets seem good but not sure. and if I buy some other packs I'm going to have a lot of extras I think, which isn't bad I just would like to get the right ones.
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Re: replacing valves and tuning
« Reply #19 on: March 11, 2015, 10:03:33 PM »

Another handy reed cleaning tool is a polishing block.  These are made for cleaning circuit boards prior to soldering.  Consists of a rubbery material filled with a mild abrasive.  The fibreglass brush works well, but it does put a lot of glass fibre fragments into the air so you need a face mask.
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