[Harp-L] Re: rivets

["Michael Timler" <mail@xxxxxxxxx>]

> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Zombor Kovacs <zrkovacs@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2008 5:15:02 PM
> Subject: [Harp-L] rivets
>
> Hi,
>
> I am looking for some rivets to repari my harps.
> Currently I am using bolts and nuts, but they are a
> pain to tighten. Any idea where to buy rivets from? I
> tried to ask at harponline.de a couple of times but my
> e-mails have been completely ignored.
>
> thanks
> Zombor

Zombor, we answer every email immediately, as every member of this list can 
confirm, that ever asked me a question.
We have no SPAM filter in our accounts, I sort EVERY mail out personally.

Moreover, I love to answer exactely these kinds of questions, because they 
touch the basics of a players initiative like Harponline, which started in 
2002.
So, let's got into it:

People having problems tightening a nut that should hold a reed in place, 
have the same problem, as they would have using a rivet:
The hardest point is to get the reed centered in the slot.
Moreover, using a rivet doesn't allow you to move the reed anymore. What you 
do is: You punch the rivet by hammering on the top of it. At the same time 
you displace the material around the hole in the plate by enlarging the hole 
in the spanning process of a rivet.
Therefore, a beginner who has a problem with tighgtening a nut using rivets 
as an alternative will find him/herself in even greater problems. That's 
what we experienced at Harponline. Everyone who got rivets went back with a 
lot of complaints and questions afterwards and kept us busy with what we had 
foreseen and explicitely NOT recommended. That's the reason why we 
officially do not offer rivets.

Zombor, here my suggestions that I would have made, in case your email had 
ever arrived:
a) Ream the hole in the foot of the reed a bit larger than the bolt you use, 
so that you get a bit of tolerance to move the reed into the center of the 
slot.
b) press the reed with your finger into the slot when tightening the nut and 
do not tighten fully
c) Move the reed a bit from left to right or right to left in order to 
center it by holding the reedplate in front of a bulb or another bright 
light. Then tighten fully (as discribed in b)  )

All this is shown very exactly here
http://www.harponline.de/index.php?page=ws_dia/ws04_dia/ws04_dia&lang_id=en_GB

We also show the riveting method here
http://www.harponline.de/index.php?page=ws_dia/ws07_dia/ws07_dia&lang_id=en_GB
but we do NOT recommend it.

The whole Harponline Service System was introduced in 2002 by Harponline, we 
have 6 years experience in distributing toolsets to hundreds of newbies in 
exchanging single harmonica reeds.
Even Seydel harmonica factory has adapted our method, means, we know what we 
are doing here.

This is not a statement against re-riveting. Not at all.
I only say, due to our experiences: When you start to work on broken reeds, 
do it with screws and nuts.
We also could earn our money with selling tools for reriveting. We don't do 
that, because the complaints about that method - if you are a beginner - is 
nothing we can handle.

Sorry for my bad english! Hope you can handle it anyway.

Gruß
Michael Timler

Harponline
Michael Timler
Alpenblick 4
D-88437 Maselheim
Germany

tel ++49 (0) 7356 4207
fax ++49 (0) 923981

mail@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.harponline.de
www.harpstore.com