Re: [Harp-L] Reed Replacement Tool

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

This is similar to the advice Blackie Schackner gave in one of his books before the Farrell tool was available.

The main things are to 

1) Have something narrow enough to push the rivet out of the hole without damaging the hole (i.e. expanding it). Grinding down the tip of a nail or a nail punch should work. The Farrell tool used a steel shaft with a long, conical end. Enough of the length point was small enough in diameter to push through the reedplate without expanding it.

2) Support the reedplate so that it doesn't buckle. You can do this by placing it on a hard, flat surface with an indentation to allow for movement of the rivet out of the hole. Clamping the reedplate down may help to keep it from bouncing around from the hammer taps.

3) Use a *very lightweight hammer. Farrell used to supply one with his rivet punch kit. It had a thin handle about 3/8 inch in diameter and a brass head of similar diameter that probably weighed about 2-3 ounces.

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa

Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5

--- On Thu, 3/19/09, 10hole <10hole@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: 10hole <10hole@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Reed Replacement Tool
To: "Bill" <bill.eborn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thursday, March 19, 2009, 12:23 PM

I've alway's used a finishing nail until recently. I took a punch and
made the tip smal enough for the rivit
with a grinder. I just place the reedplate on an old wood comb with the comb
slots there to protect the
reeds. Slight whack with the hammer and viola. I wish I bought one of FR
Ferrel's tools while they were still
available. Anyone have one they want to part with ?????

Scooter


I was wondering what tools to use for removing dead single reeds.  I've
been exchanging single reeds for a couple of years and up till now used the
de-riveting tool that harponline sell.  It's a bit like a pair of pliers
with length of slim steel on one of the jaws that fits into a hole on the one
opposite side and it makes it very easy to pop the rivets out, I think Seydel
sell the same bit of kit.  The problem is I've managed to break off the slim
steel piece and a replacement tool is sixty euros and a week in the post.

So I was wondering about using a slim centre punch and giving the rivet a tap
and free the old reed that way but i'm a bit nervous about buckling the
plate.  I don't have a vice but I've got an aluminium comb I could rest
on which I could see working for the diatonic reed i need to replace but i also
need to replace a reed in a CX12.....

What do people think?

Thanks

Bill

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_______________________________________________
Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
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http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l