Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Retuning Kit - making a homemade one



Lots of very good info here, Michelle.  I really like your suggestion  of the 
marble cutting board.  
 
SmoJoe's still away on a Jazz Cruise, I believe (I'm so envious),  otherwise 
he might have chimed in with suggestions.
 
There's a beeswax thread running on the slidemeister site,  and I posted this 
link there just this morning for someone looking to seal a  leaky chrometta:
 
 
_http://www.localharvest.org/pure-beeswax-bars-C11384_ 
(http://www.localharvest.org/pure-beeswax-bars-C11384) 
 
 
(Disclaimer: I've never used anything to seal a harmonica and wouldn't.  I 
won't use anything which might attract dust or dirt, living in a  house full of 
animals.)
 
I use a lot of 'off-the-cuff' stuff to work on harmonicas (learning from  our 
own Mr. Fix-it/McGyver <G>)  orange sticks, a dedicated  toothbrush, my own 
old but huge and unused set of feeler gauges I keep  intact while using the 
thicker gauges for all sorts of harmonica-related  purposes.
 
Eyemakeup swabs (like Qtips but much more tightly wound)...flattened on one  
end, pointed on the other, are invaluable for dipping into either Rubbing  
Alcohol or Clorox Hard Surface Anywhere Spray and cleaning nooks and  crannies 
(and mouthpieces). Got them at K-Mart but a friend found a  box of 100 at CVS 
for $3.00 or so.  I also use them to polish my  reedplates with the MAAS without 
getting it onto  the reeds themselves. I freely admit to being a wee bit  
OCD, liking it so much better when my harps are spotlessly clean,  highly 
polished and gleaming. 
 
At your micromark link they had a nice selection of long skinny tweezers  
which would also come in very handy: (reaching in to remove any stray  
hair/filament....as well as to straighten a recalcitrant valve, or to  replace one 
without bending it. I bought a cheaper set at Michael's craft  stores ..made for 
jewelry work, but they're not half as well made as the ones I  now see at 
Micromark...
 
The one thing I'M missing is a tiny (mouthpiece opening sized) light (LED  is 
preferable) since I can still see clearly close up - but need my glasses for  
anything further away than a foot <G>  If anyone could point me  to it I'd be 
so grateful...even if it needs plugging in. (Jimmy Gordon had  one I coveted 
at SPAH, Denver).
 
Never heard of the Wiha brand of screwdrivers. Am going to go look them up  
now. 
 
Much obliged!
 
Elizabeth
 
 
 
 
Message: 14
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2009 10:08:11 -0700
From: "MLeFree"  <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Retuning Kit -  making a homemade one
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>

James boutilier inquires:
> ok, so, my paypal wasnt where i thought  it was
> need to save a few bucks to get into retuning my  harmonicas
>
> figured the money is best spent on a cheap set of  harps and the
> chromatic tuner.
>
> so, im trying to build a  basic retuning & gapping kit.
>
> -->  I cut open one of  those CD security thingies, and sure
> enough, the promised 3 metal shims  were there, 2 long thinner
> ones, and one slightly thicker shorter  one.

Those are great for several uses in working on harps - centering  reeds in
the slot, removing debris from the space between the reed and  reedplate,
etc.

An old fashioned razor blade or a thin mechanic's  feeler gauge will come in
handy for supporting the reeds as you work on them  (place the blade/gauge
between the reed and reedplate.)

You can file a  square notch in a feeler gauge to fashion a reed wrench.

An essential  tool is a "reed offset tool," a brass rod with a rounded spade
shape on one  end and a tapered end bent at a 90 degree angle to the shaft.
Both Lee Oskar  and Hering toolkits include one. Somewhere on his Chromatic
Reference  website, "Harp-On," G details how to make one from an inexpensive
brass rod  available at your local hardware store, but I couldn't find it.
You might  e-mail him for its location (see link on  website).
http://www.angelfire.com/music/HarpOn/

In lieu of that, a  large, dulled needle would work for the tapered end.
You'd be amazed what you  can do with such a needle, even with the harp
assembled.

BTW, Lee  Oskar publishes a little harmonica maintenance pamphlet that is
short, sweet,  and excellent (comes with his toolkit). You can probably
google a  copy.

> --> having done some jewelry work, I have a couple  small
> precision fine files

I prefer "sanding wands,"  $14.95/set:
http://www.micromark.com/MICRO-SANDING-WAND-SET,7760.html

SmoJoe  makes his own by gluing sandpaper to the edge of a popsicle stick. He
stacks  several popsicle stick, glues on the sandpaper and then cuts the
sticks apart  with a razor blade. (Incidentally, Smokey Joe is the original
"McGyver" of  harmonica repair/customization. He could write a book about
home-made  harmonica tools... With any luck, he'll respond to your query.)

>  --> I have a small triangle file ground at the end on an angle
> like a  chisel.

Surely you wouldn't use that to tune reeds? Maybe to chamfer them  ala Rick
Epping...

A small socket from your automotive toolkit or even  a penny will nicely
emboss the reedplate slots.

> Can anyone tell  me if they think this is sufficient, and what
> else i might add  (home-made or dollarstore procured) ?

A tuner would be handy... A cheapie  like a $20 Korg from your local music
store will do.

You'll need small  slothead and philips head screwdrivers. I prefer the Wiha
brand. Last ya  forever.

A cardboard boxtop (especially with a white inner surface) is  very handy for
holding/catching and finding small parts that inevitable fly  around the room
when you work on your harps. (Avoid a carpeted  room.)

A good worklight is essential. I like the kind on an articulated  arm that
has a magnifying lens built in.

A very flat surface to ensure  your combs and reedplates are flat is handy. I
use an old marble cutting  board. Great for flattening combs with fine
sandpaper.

I use paraffin  or bee's wax to seal wood combs. I do it gently in the
microwave to avoid a  potentially deadly fire hazard. Food-grade cutting
board or salad bowl  sealant is also good. Check your local hardware store.

At my age, reading  glasses are very helpful.  8^)

BTW, Douglas Tate's book, "Make your  harmonica play better" is an excellent
resource. At $10 or so from Amazon and  elsewhere, it might very well be your
first purchase.

Good  luck,

Michelle

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