Re: [Harp-L] Theft device shims (was Reed Slot Tolerance)

[Michelle LeFree <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Smokey Joe Leone writes:
> On Dec 3, 2009, at 12:50 PM, Robert Coble wrote:
>   
> > I know I have seen several references to using a 0.001" shim to run  
> > down the sides of a reed to make sure there are no burrs on the  
> > edge and also that the reed is seated in the middle of the slot.
> >     
>
> The use of the shim is to clear any debris (saliva, etc) and to check  
> and see if the reed is centered enough that the shim goes down the  
> slot evenly on both sides. If it is tight on one side or better still  
> near the tip, this means that the reed needs to be 'walked' into the  
> center. This can be done with a reed wrench. But I prefer to tap the  
> reed about 2/3rds the way from the rivet with a sewing machine needle  
> with the eye broken so as to give a V notch at the tip in order to  
> engage the reed.
>   
Elizabeth also commented on the use of these cool little shims. I too 
wanted to make a couple of observations about them. Years ago I also 
found out about the theft prevention shims on Slidemeister from the 
inimitable, kind and generous Bill Price. At the time he was using them 
as SmoJoe says, to center reeds in the slot. Since then like Robert I 
have seen several references to using them to remove burrs on the edges 
of reeds or reedslots. That's also one of the ways I use them.

Smokey Joe went on to say:

"I was just WITH Bill for a day at the Garden State fest. I didn't have  
my tools, so I used his. The device comes encapsulating 3 strips. The  
best way to retrieve the FLAT strip (the other 2 are vaulted), is to  
cut the plastic carrier close to the strip but without touching it.  
Then soak it the rest of the way in acetone to release the gummy  
gooey matrix that it is swimming in. That way you don't damage the stip."

If, Joe, by "vaulted" you mean that they have a convex curvature across their width, that's an important feature of these shims that makes them especially useful in my estimation. I actually find the vaulted shims more useful than the flat ones. I prefer to use a ~good~ reed wrench such as the ones in Richard Sleigh's toolkit to center errant reeds. 

The curvature in the cross-section of these theft device shims is what lends them the ability to shave brass off of reeds and combplate slots. Richard Slight demonstrates in his book how he uses narrow pieces of the shim stock that is included in his toolkits as Elizabeth suggests, to adjust reed profiles. You can count me amongst the folks who also use the theft device shims to remove not only burrs as Robert describes, but also to remove some chamfered or embossed material if I've over-done it a bit and the reeds stick after running a socket along a reed slot in the embossing process (see Buddha's Youtube video for a fine explanation of how to use a socket tool to emboss reeds). To trim brass off the reedslot, the convex side of the shim has to face the reedplate and vice-versa to remove material from the reed itself. As Smokey says, the "vaulted" or curved cross-section of the shim causes it to be springy, giving some level of self-adjustment in the amount of pressure it can apply against the reed and plate. But which surface it will remove brass from is given by which side the convexity faces.

One thing is for sure, they will shave brass off the reed or plate. You can see microscopic curls or shards of brass fall away as the shim is run through the slot. If there is a particularly narrow region between the reed and the edge of the slot, I run a shim through it several times. I prefer not to remove material from the reed as I don't want the action to impact its pitch, so I always ensure that the convex side of the shim is against the slot edge.

All these may be subtle points but prior to Smokey's reference I'd never seen the curved cross-section of these super handy little shims mentioned.

Michelle