Re: [Harp-L] Re: Soldering Reeds

["rick epping" <rickepping@xxxxxxxxx>]

If I'm adding a massive amount of solder to lower the pitch by, say, a
fifth, I'll apply a line of graphite using a soft lead pencil on the surface
of the reed at the point where I want the solder to end and along the edge
of the reed to help prevent the solder from flowing where it is not wanted.
Someone on harp-l passed on the suggestion some years ago to apply the
pencil marking on the surface of the reed and an attendee at a workshop I
once gave in Trossingen thought of the idea to add the graphite along the
edge.

Best regards,
Rick


On 4/9/07, Vern Smith <jevern@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> My experience is the same as Rick's. The mass of the reed is so small that
> it assumes the temperature of the much-more-massive solder and iron almost
> instantly.  The flux is the key to getting the solder to flow and stick,
> not
> pre-heating.
>
> I also agree with Rick that there is little danger that a soldering iron
> will overheat and anneal the reed.  The iron is just not hot enough to do
> that.  The danger in taking too long is that the solder will flow over the
> edges of the reed and have to be laboriously scraped away to avoid
> interference with the edges of the slot.
>
> I recommend a brief, deft touch with a small drop of molten solder hanging
> from the pointed tip of a small soldering iron at the center of the area
> where flux has previously been applied.
>
> Vern
> Visit my harmonica website www.Hands-Free-Chromatic.7p.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "rick epping" <rickepping@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, April 09, 2007 3:01 AM
> Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Soldering Reeds
>
>
> > I prefer not to heat the reed before applying solder.  I've found that a
> > reed has so little mass that the molten solder itself will usually heat
> > the
> > reed sufficiently within a second or so to bond.  This way, the reed is
> > less
> > likely to become overheated in the process.  I don't know if it's even
> > possible to overheat a reed with a soldering iron - Vern might be able
> to
> > answer this one - but I think it takes a little less time and might be
> > safer
> > to let the solder heat the reed.  I would guess that any overheating
> from
> > a
> > soldering iron would not be high enough to affect a reed's temper but
> > might
> > be enough to detension the reed and cause a temporary drop in pitch.
> >
> > Best regards,
> > Rick Epping