Re: [Harp-L] Shortening slots

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

Paul,

I have not done this myself.  However, if I were faced with the problem, I 
would proceed as follows:

You will need to sacrifice the reedplate from which you took the shorter 
reed.
You will need a 00-90 screw that will go through the rivet hole and a nut.
You will need a jeweler's saw to cut reedplate brass and a jeweler's 
rectangular cross section file.

- Saw a 1/8" strip from the end of the sacrificial reedplate and drill a 
rivet-sized hole near one end.
- clean up the burrs with a jeweler's file.
- Hint, it will be easier to drill first and then saw, but it is easier to 
explain as saw and then drill.  ;o)
- Sand the brass strip so epoxy will stick to it.
- Oil in and around the short slot so epoxy won't stick to the plate.
- Screw the strip over the slot from whence came the short reed...being 
careful not to allow oil from the plate to get on the strip where you wish 
the epoxy in the slot to stick.
- Fill the slot with epoxy putty and smooth with a small blade to remove the 
excess from the top of the plate.
- Allow the epoxy to cure.
- Scrape or file the top of the sacrificial plate to remove any epoxy that 
has slopped over the edges of the slot.
- Unscrew the strip and remove it by gingerly pushing the epoxy out of the 
slot. The pusher should be about the same size as the slot to press evenly 
on all areas of the epoxy. I would whittle a pusher out of a popsicle stick.
- At this point, you will have a template of the desired slot.
- Oil the template, brass & epoxy too.
- Gently press the template into the long slot and secure it with the screw.
- Clean the end of the long slot thoroughly so epoxy will stick to it.
- Fill the empty end of the slot with epoxy putty.
- Allow the epoxy to cure.
- Remove the template.
- Install and tune the reed.
- If the reed touches the end of the shortened slot, you might have to very 
carefully file away the interfering epoxy.
- Save the template in case you need to do this operation again.

I'm sure that I have not thought of every detail.  However, this will give 
you the general idea.  Epoxy is very good at replicating shapes.  The 
biggest hazard will be breaking the epoxy as you push the template out of 
the short slot.

Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

Vern
Visit my harmonica website www.Hands-Free-Chromatic.7p.com


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Bowering" <paul_bowering@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 11, 2008 10:09 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] Shortening slots


> I came up with a fairly radical but potentially great altered tuning. The 
> problem is that the first hole would require too great a retune to be 
> feasible. I planned to simply replace the reed but taking a reed from a 
> short slot plate to put in a long slot plate doesn't work either. Any 
> suggestions on how to fill in the slot a little to make it shorter?
>
> Paul
>
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