Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Graham Spencer]

The method I use when the reeds are placed so close is to fit the first reed as normal, wax all four edges. Then reheat the wax on the edge that touches the next reed and then put it in place before the wax solidifies. Then wax the other 3 sides and repeat down the block.

This has proved successful when waxing the likes of Hohner Liliputs and Preciosas and Castagnari Lilys.

I'd recommend a  modification of this method:  Place first reed and run a bead of wax only along the edge where the next reed will go.   Place the second reed immediately while the wax is still soft.  Repeat.  Then once all the reeds are in place you can wax along the top and bottom and along the ends.  Advantages (1) much quicker, (2) much neater.  (3) before the second stage waxing you can sound all the reeds to check they are in the correct places, and to check that all the underside valves are free to move.   If you do have to make any adjustments it is much easier when only half the wax is in place.

Do you know, I don't know how many times in a year I think "That's obvious; why didn't I think of that before?....."  Not just in relation to melodeons, either! 

Graham

[Theo]

 

[Nick Collis Bird]

Tis very true. You're never too late to learn.
I was taught at the London College of Printing " The day you are totally happy with something that leaves your workshop, is from then on, the day you will never improve"
Oh, and also " The customer is always wrong" 

[dino.pafftti]

 

[Theo]

" The day you are totally happy with something that leaves your workshop, is from then on, the day you will never improve"

That is a big relief.

[dino.pafftti]

Hi Theo. I would like to ask? how to combine dammar resin beeswax ??
Heats the wax, add resin ?
Sorry I do not know,, Better to ask,
I thought at first that the easy thing, but the work has its own tricks how to do it correctly..
 age of 70 year, but still a lot of what you do not know

[Theo]

Combining the resin and wax is the difficult part.  The ability of Resin to melt and combine with the wax seems to vary.  I usually melt the wax first in a double container with a water between the heat source and the wax container, then add the crushed resin gradually. I usually end up with some resin that will not mix. Next time I will try heating the container directly so I can reach a slightly higher temperature of about 110C.

[dino.pafftti]

Thank you. It must be assumed in search of resin..

[Steve_freereeder]

Combining the resin and wax is the difficult part.  The ability of Resin to melt and combine with the wax seems to vary.  I usually melt the wax first in a double container with a water between the heat source and the wax container, then add the crushed resin gradually. I usually end up with some resin that will not mix. Next time I will try heating the container directly so I can reach a slightly higher temperature of about 110C.

I hope you will use something safer than Charlie Marshall's camping gas stove method... 

[melodeon]

A "secret" from an Italian master accordion maker/tuner/restorationsist (RIP Walter Vergini born Castilfidardo 1914) ..

He added old, sticky orange shellac to the wax.

Amount to be determined by the brewer/alchemist.

Beeswax and shellac.. nothing more.. except perhaps a little alcohol of choice for consistency : )

[Broadland Boy]

Thank you. It must be assumed in search of resin..

Look for supplies of resin for gymnasts or ballet dancers - nice clean resin (and less expensive than from musical suppliers)

Fresh wax from a beekeeper (yellow), rather than old or highly refined beeswax (white) seems more easily combined with the resin - when using linseed oil, it seems better to add the oil last as when added to the resin powder first it forms skin or strings which do not disperse.

Sticks about 4mm square work well with a soldering iron, (have not tried the molten wax pot and pourer method and as Steve noted it can catch fire if heated with a flame). I use the rectangular grill pan from a kitchen cooker / stove partly filled with hot water and pour the wax onto the water, when it has solidified but before it hardens fully the strips can be cut using a straight edge and disk pizza cutter.

A very useful heating source is an electric clothes iron, inverted in a frame (or held in a vice by its handle) and either use its own thermostatic control or power via a suitable dimmer switch, from keeping a cup of  tea or coffee warm to melting wax or other things like warming metal for laquering or varnishing.

Hope this translates OK 

[dino.pafftti]

Thank you very much ..
All the new information is important to do with the repair.
Electric stove or iron may be the best means to heat..
My wax is pretty old, it's new, but standing container for years,, it is maybe 2-3 kg 

[Theo]

Beeswax is very stable and will keep for many years without degrading.  It must be clean.

[dino.pafftti]

Beeswax is fused metal box, yes good looking, clean, and there is no dry.
I asked the  bee wax supplies selling shop.
shattered cells 10€ / kg + postage  9 € .. Not expensive.
But I will try to prepare this on their own beeswax , as long as I can find resin

[Theo]

When searching on line look for "rosin" or "colophony". In the UK there are several sellers on eBay.

[dino.pafftti]

Thank you .. I looked ..
my wife from Russia,     I looked at the Russian pages.
pine resin very cheap,, 1kg 3-4 € ??I guess the same resin ??

[Rog]

Any tricks on how to combine the wax/rosin/oil? I've read all the above and had a couple of goes at making the stuff. The problem seems to be that the melting point of the pine rosin is higher than my wax pot deals out, and I get lumpy residue at the bottom of the metal pot and the mixture doesn't melt into a clear liquid properly.  If I put it all back over a stove to get it hotter it melts and gives me a nice clear mixture.  The stuff I buy from CGM melts perfectly in my wax heater, so I'm either getting the cooking bit wrong or the rosin I've got has too high a melting point (ps just been watching Breaking Bad so the reference to 'cooking' has some funny connotations, yo).

[Theo]

I've tried and had the same problem.  To mget the ingredients to combine fully I've found it essential to melt the rosin first, which needs a temperature a bit above 100C so you can't do it over a water bath.  Once the rosin is melted I add the solid wax and when it's all melted add the oil. It requires care as all the ingredients are inflammable.  If you use a domestic cooker you must have a very thick, heavy pan, preferably aluminium to help spread the heat evenly.  Apart from the fire risk you also need to keep temperatures to the minimum required for melting in order to avoid overheating and damaging the wax. Iron utensils will react chemically with beeswax and must not be used.

[Rog]

Hi, thanks Theo. it sounds like the order you melt it is important then. I'm doing this in the garage with the door open, using an old non-stick Le Creuset milk pan (only the best natch) and stirring with a bit of wood. Were you ever able to recover your poorly mixed wax/rosin by reheating it, or is it no good now? It seems to be ok once it's heated up over the stove - I've haven't actually checked if the wax heater will keep it in that state, which is what I'll try next. Otherwise I might just buy the blimmin stuff from Charlie

[Theo]

It is a messy time consuming job.  I only make my own because I have a lot of wax stored away from when I used to keep bees. If I had to buy all the ingredients I would probably buy it ready made.