Re: [Harp-L] Reed Material from Micro-Mark

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

On Jun 23, 2009, at 3:20 PM, Harvey Berman wrote:

> Micro-Mark lists .006" sheets of Phosphor Bronze, which comes in a  
> pack of 3 5X7 sheets.  The price is $11.55.  With the exception of  
> the weight and the pad, this is pretty close to what most reeds  
> should be, so I ordered a pack to experiment with.    When the pack  
> came, it was actually .008", which is too thick.

Not really, you may 'want' the extra thickness for the rivet pad  
(which are fragile once pierced). Bottoming a rivet on the pad is a  
fracture risk. The extra meat is a good thing, and a thick pad will  
do nothing to hurt the finished reed. The extra thickness will be  
handy for lower pitched reeds.
> I talked to Mico Mark, and they called the manufacturer, who told  
> them that the .006" is not going to be available, so they shipped  
> them .008  So, if anyone is considering ordering this product, Part  
> number 83100, be advised that it is really .008".
>
> I decided to cut out a reed, and I started sanding the thickness,  
> and blowing the reed.  When I got to almost .006, I got a pretty  
> good sounding reed.  It took a long time with my sanding wand, but  
> it worked, and left me with a pad that is .008".

While I use 900 & 600 emory coated popsicle sticks for finish work, I  
would use a fine diamond fingernail file or a 'sho-fu brownie'  
neoprene pencil eraser shaped rotary burr for the major removal.
> If anyone can recommend a quick method of cutting .008" Phosphor  
> Bronze, and also for taking off .002" in thickness,  without a huge  
> investment in metalworking tools, I would appreciate it.

I took an old doctor's penlite type flashlight which usually has 2  
aaa batteries in it. I removed a battery and replaced it with an  
electric motor from a camera. With only one tiny battery, the motor  
doesn't put out enough torque to do any damage. You can get more or  
less the same effect with a cosmetologist's or manicurist's buffing  
tool. They are virtually the same principle. You could even power the  
tools with a tiny a.c./d.c. electric adaptor in the 2.5-3 volt range.

Say away from Dremel and other brands of rotary tools. WHAAAAAAY too  
powerful. You could touch it to your work only to watch it fly across  
town and impale a squirrel.

smo-joe
> Harvey Berman
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