[Harp-L] embossing

[Rupert Oysler <orupert@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi all,

I wrote this stuff on embossing to answer a question and it occurred to 
me after all the typing (I'm NOT a gifted typist...) that it might be 
helpful to send it on to Harp-L, so here it is:


For embossing plated reedplates like Seydel Favorite, Black Favorite, 
etc.,  I use one or more of :
- a tuning fork (ball at end)
- a ball-on-a-stick I got from micromark:
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=82390 

- a small socket, run the curved edge along the slot
-the edge of an exacto knife blade

I always have some reeds that need recentering, I think mostly because 
they are a little off center to begin with and then when you narrow the 
slot they hit. If you always have a bunch of reeds that are hitting on 
the same side you might need to pay more attention to embossing evenly 
and watch that you aren't kind of (unconsciously) leaning to one side, 
thus bringing that one in a teeny bit more. I deal with the "hitting 
mess" after embossing in several (endless) ways:

- sometimes just recentering with a reed wrench works
-sometimes drawing the thinnest gapping shim from the autoparts gapping 
stuff (like .001 or whatever it is) often several times, leaning into 
the edge of reed, or slot, depending on what you think. This is 
especially helpful if you have a catch near the rivet end, where your 
embossing tool stopped and reversed direction. Some people use a strip 
that comes in CD/DVD packaging for this, but I can never find it.
-I cut strips of really thin sandpaper on a mylar backing from micromark:
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=60471 

and work them along between the slot and reed edge. I've tried strips of 
dentist abrasives for this, and I prefer this stuff.

I always plink in between to see how it's going, and for checking I hold 
the reedplate up over a white sheet of paper that has the work lamp 
shining on it pretty strong so I can view the slot, and then using 
various tools (from finger to whatever is lying around) I slowly push 
the reed into the slot, and past , and then let it back out, changing my 
head position, which eye I'm looking out of,  etc. to deal with the 
paralax, and SEE where it's hitting, then I work on that area, and try 
again and look again, and work again , and try again, and so on...this 
whole deal is the MOST frustrating of all the work, and for most harps I 
am very careful to not emboss too much so that I only have to do this on 
maybe a few of the worst slots. When I emboss I'll do like one or two 
passes, and then plink the reeds to see if they are still free. To plink 
at that time-I have to push the reed back up through the slot with my 
finger and then slide the plinker under the reed and flick it, this will 
tell me if it's free. If all the reeds are free I may risk a few more 
embosses, if some are stuck already I stop with the embossing.....It's 
all an art, a process of feeling what is happening and how far you can 
go. If you're trying to make a superoverblowdeluxe harp, then you just 
have to pay the price in time and frustration...For those SOBD harps I 
often take take an exacto blade and emboss just one edge of the slot, 
after going through the intitial embossing,  because the reed may be a 
teeny bit off center at the rivet, so the slot itself needs to be 
rearranged to match the reed, if I want the tolerances reeeeeeeally 
tight. In some situations for those SOBD harps I just replace the reed 
and recenter the rivet end, either using a rivet or sometimes that's 
easier with a screw (like I show on the vids).

Hope this helps,

--
Rupert Oysler
www.harprepair.com