[Harp-L] RE: Suzuki Welded Reed/00-90 screws

["Harvey Berman" <cscharp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for the tip for breaking the weld with a reed wrench.  I partially drilled, and then punched the rest of it.  That part came out OK, though your way would be easier.  My problem is that the hole is not centered in the slot.  It is offset .0045 in. to the right.  It looks like all the welds on my Suzuki are done the same way.  I do not understand why they did that.  You are right about the Honda Reed, and that is what I did.  I shaved it to a beautiful fit in the slot, but is was offset.  

Smo Joe says to walk the reed with a punch.  I will try that with a scrap plate.  The way it is now, I have a .006 inch gap on the left side of the reed.  Since I like to have a clearance of .0015 I have to either shave or walk the reed over .045 or shave a bigger reed that amount.   

As for the 00-90 screw question, the ones I have found are rather expensive.  Smallparts .com wants $15 for a pack of ten.  I use 0-80, which I get from Fastener Express (www.fastener-express.com). They are only $3.00  for 100 screws.  They do have the 00-90 brass nuts which are $6.30 for 50.  I like the 0-80 screws better than the 00-90 anyway.  I drill and tap the reed plate, and screw the reed in from the front and do not use a nut.  The 0-80s are much easier to work with, and the nice taper centers the reed nicely.  If the reed hole or plate hole is slightly off center, then I put the screw in from the back, and use a 0-80 nut.  It is a little big, but it works ok.

Harvey Berman

 Brendan Power wrote:

The way to proceed is to first remove the old reed with a reed wrench.
Simply twist the wrench to the side and the weld will break off. Clean
up the place where it sat on the reed.