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Author Topic: Castagnari air button sticking  (Read 1353 times)

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Schnorbitz

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Castagnari air button sticking
« on: November 04, 2019, 12:20:19 PM »

A quick bit of advice. The air button on one of my Castagnari's feels like it is sticking a bit when you start to push it in (just a bit of resistance but annoying). I think this relates to friction between the wooden air button lever and the metal rod that operates the air button mechanism. Pencil graphite seemed to improve this, but didn't work for long. Any suggestions for an alternative that works for longer would be greatfully received (or if I am barking up the wrong tree here, feel free to set me in the right direction  (:) ).

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Theo

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Re: Castagnari air button sticking
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2019, 01:22:40 PM »

I’ve come across similar rough operating air buttons.  There can be various things that upset the rather delicate relationship between the wooden button and the steel wire lever.  Anything that affects the angles between the components, roughness on the steel, wear on the plate that the lever pivots on, damage to the hinge that the button moves on allowing the button to rub on the bass cover plate.  It can be tricky to pinpoint the cause, but that is what you need to do.
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Lester

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Re: Castagnari air button sticking
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2019, 01:58:19 PM »

When fixing broken air button mounts (yes that you Dino Baffetti I'm looking at) I replace the metal spring/mounting with a piece of hotel key entry plastic. I usually extent this over the whole button then adjust the metal arm to take account of the slightly thicker button. This, to me and my customers, seems to make the air button action much smoother as the friction is now metal to shiney plastic rather than metal to wood.

Schnorbitz

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Re: Castagnari air button sticking
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2019, 05:33:27 PM »

Thanks Theo and Lester for both your replies.

I'll have a bit more of a look at the mechanism to see whether there is something I have missed. I suspect this will be a matter of trial and error to track down the exact cause. Should keep a few winter evenings occupied  (:)
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rees

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Re: Castagnari air button sticking
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2019, 05:42:17 PM »

This can sometimes be fixed by increasing the curve in the wire just where it touches the wooden lever. It only needs to be bent a tiny amount.
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Schnorbitz

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Re: Castagnari air button sticking
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2019, 06:21:35 PM »

Quote
This can sometimes be fixed by increasing the curve in the wire just where it touches the wooden lever. It only needs to be bent a tiny amount.

Thanks Rees, I'll give this a try to start. I did wonder whether the end of the lever was slightly snagging the wood so this may deal with it.
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Anahata

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Re: Castagnari air button sticking
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2019, 06:52:21 PM »

When fixing broken air button mounts (yes that you Dino Baffetti I'm looking at) I replace the metal spring/mounting with a piece of hotel key entry plastic.

I replaced mine recently with a piece of metal cut from a tin can. If I were to use plastic, would a card like an expired credit/bank card do, or is there an important difference in thickness (or any other characteristic) in a hotel key card?
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Lester

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Re: Castagnari air button sticking
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2019, 07:06:10 PM »

When fixing broken air button mounts (yes that you Dino Baffetti I'm looking at) I replace the metal spring/mounting with a piece of hotel key entry plastic.

I replaced mine recently with a piece of metal cut from a tin can. If I were to use plastic, would a card like an expired credit/bank card do, or is there an important difference in thickness (or any other characteristic) in a hotel key card?
I use hotel cards as they don't have any embossed lettering on them. Plus when I was doing a lot of work travelling I started collecting them and have >100.

rees

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Re: Castagnari air button sticking
« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2019, 07:06:23 PM »

A plastic milk bottle is ideal.
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Rees Wesson (accordion builder and mechanic)
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Schnorbitz

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Re: Castagnari air button sticking
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2019, 10:47:41 PM »

How do you fix the hotel card / milk bottle to the casing and air button? I would have thought screws would work loose.
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Lester

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Re: Castagnari air button sticking
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2019, 08:06:50 AM »

How do you fix the hotel card / milk bottle to the casing and air button? I would have thought screws would work loose.
When replacing the original metal mounting I use the original two screws into the air button

Schnorbitz

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Re: Castagnari air button sticking
« Reply #11 on: November 05, 2019, 09:02:48 PM »

Thanks Lester, just wanted to check that they would be sufficient.
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Schnorbitz

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Re: Castagnari air button sticking
« Reply #12 on: November 06, 2019, 08:11:02 AM »

Air button update, the solution suggested by Rees (tweaking the end of the metal rod) seems to have done the job. In fact the air button is now the smoothest it has ever been on this box.

Many thanks for the advice from all three of you. Greatly appreciated.
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IanD

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Re: Castagnari air button sticking
« Reply #13 on: November 07, 2019, 10:22:55 PM »

How do you fix the hotel card / milk bottle to the casing and air button? I would have thought screws would work loose.
I used some extremely sticky double-sided adhesive foam pads, and a credit card. Lasted about two years before it broke again. Lucky I had a kit of replacement biys in the side pocket of by melodeon bag, and a Swiss army knife -- five minutes later, job done.
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