[Harp-L] Screws for Marine Bands

["Harvey Berman" <cscharp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I buy my screws from Fastener- Express.  www.fastener-express.com.  I have found them to be very cheap, and reliable. I use 2 mm pan head stainless steel machine screws and nuts.  I use 2mmX10mm for holding on the cover plates, and I use 2mm X 12mm, which is the longest they sell for holding on the reed plates.  I use the longer screws for the reed plates so that the extra length supports the cover plates to prevent crushing.  You can either tap the plates, or drill the plates and let the screws tap themselves.  You can also use nuts if you want, which is actually easier, and since the Marine Band plates are thin, it is stronger. These are not designed to be self tapping, so go slow.  I put two screws in from the draw plate side, and the center one from the blow plate side.  It works great for me.  

I also buy my 0-80 flathead screws, which I use to replace reeds, and nuts from fastener express.  I tap the reed plate, and then drill the reed hole.  If the reed is pretty well centered, then I just use the screw from the reed side to hold on the reed, as the taper of the screw centers the reed nicely.  If I need the move the reed around, then I put the screw in from the back, and use a nut to hold the reed on.  Be sure to buy the smaller 0-80 nut that fastener express sells as it is smaller.  It is the more expensive one.  make sure to sand the draw plate flat before you put in the reed screws, or else you will have to grind of the part that sticks through the plate.

I posted a picture, in a previous post, of my method.  No one seemed to notice, though, except for Captron. 

This is my method, but I am not a professional customer.  I just do it for my own enjoyment.  Sort of like my harp playing.

Harvey Berman