Re: Feasibility of machining harp plates

[Joel Fritz <jfritz666@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Pierre wrote:

>  
> I was at an Automation show in Montreal and that got me thinking, 
> would it be possible to machine plates using the latest and greatest 
> technology available today?
>  
> The ultimate goal would be to create a harp so tight it would be 
> trivial to set up for overblows.
>  
> For example:
>  
> 1) Copy measurements off a special 20 or other suitable harp.
> 2) Do a CAD drawing placing holes for screws, rivets and reeds.
> 3) Find someone with the latest and greatest equipment and get them to 
> make a small batch of plates (perhaps as a favour)
> 4) Have a qualified person takes some reeds off some special 20s and 
> mount them on the plates
>  
> Issues:
>  
> Can we measure accurately enough to get rivets exactly in the right 
> place? I assume Hohner placed hole at equal intervals where the 
> distance can be infered to some extent?
> Which harp?
> Can we buy sets of reeds?
> Is this project practical if we use stock reeds? if not could we make 
> reeds? would they be better than anything we can buy now?
>  
> Specifics could be worked out.
>  
> I guess the ultimate goal would be to create a harp so tight it would 
> be trivial to set up for overblows. I have spent hours fiddling with 
> harps to get them the way I like them and I hate doing it. I don't 
> think musicians or aspiring musicians should have to do this. Most 
> musicians buy good stock instruments and just play them, why can't 
> harmonica players do that too. Men have walked on the moon...
>  
> I have considered custom harps but I don't like wood combs. Also good 
> custom harps are really expensive and I can't be sure the harp will be 
> set up to my taste so I may have to fiddle anyway and I may mess 
> things up rather than improving the thing, then its trial and error 
> again. The main problem is converging, since when you bend a reed you 
> don't know if a) you did anything at all because you can't see micro 
> adjustments and b) you bent too much or too little.
>  
> Ok, I realize a tight plate does not fix the reed setup problem but 
> having a tight harp would probably make it easier.
>  
> Anybody have any idea how significant the results could be? How much 
> does embossing help when its well done?
> Is this feasible and would it improve the harp enough to make it 
> worthwhile?
>  
> Any ideas?
>  
> Pierre.
>  


I have no idea what sort of set up Hohner or other manufacturers have.  
I'm sure it's possible to make harps to closer tolerances.  CNC 
machining and CAD might make it easier, but I think it's always been 
possible.  It's like "blueprinting" a car engine.  The question really 
is how much will it cost and is there a market?