Re: Solder on reeds

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

 ----- Original Message ----- 
 From: "Keith Freeman" <keith.freeman@xxxxxxxxxx>

 > > Long-time harp-lers will know what I have never been a fan of solder
 > > on reeds, my preferred alternative is a mixture of epoxy resin and
 > > stainless steel powder.
 > I found putting a blob of 2-minute superglue on the tip (being careful to
>keep it well
 > away from the edges, of course) and then sprinkling brass powder over it
 worked well.
>
> None of the other materials involving glues and powdered metal is as dense
> as solder which is mostly lead. A lump of solder works best where it is
> desired to lower the pitch by a large interval.

 I apply it in the following way:
 1. I insert a piece of paper that protects the reedplate and supports the
 reed.
 2. Using the thin end of a flat toothpick as a tool, I paint an oval spot
on
 the reed near the tip with paste flux.  I use just enough to wet the reed
 and not enough to build up and run when hot. I do not allow the spot to
 reach the edges of the reed.
 3. I melt a droplet of solder on the tip of a small soldering iron and
touch
 it briefly to the fluxed spot. If carefully done, the solder adheres to the
 reed only where the spot of flux is. A piece of wet paper towel on the reed
 where it flexes near the rivet can avoid annealing.
 4. residual flux can be removed with a cotton swab wetted with a drop of
 solvent such as lacquer thinner (MEK) which evaporates quickly and
 completely.
 5. Then the soft solder can be easily scraped away to bring the reed up to
 pitch.

 Vern

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