[Harp-L] Reed Measurements (Request For Information)

[Robert Coble <robertpcoble@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

If your first thought upon reading this is to suggest "Just buy the reeds from
Hohner" or "Just use the reeds from an old junker," then you will have missed 
the purpose of my request for assistance. No need to tell me I'm "crazy;" I've
known that for a LONG time. ;-) Just try to stay on topic for at least a few posts,
if possible, instead of my delusional mental state!

I'm trying to get some punches/dies made for stamping out harmonica reeds.
A friend has a tool-and-die shop and has at least seemed interested in the
challenge of making a punch/die set for one of his small press punch machines.
I have to rely on others' expertise-because I have none of my own!

My initial attempt will be to stamp out reed blanks for Seydel Blues Session harps.
Why? Because that's what I mostly play! I want to punch out the general shape
of the reed (and the rivet hole) without any milling of the profile; I intend to do
profiling initially using polishing wheels. I know that's labor intensive, but that gives 
me complete control over pitch and response. At some later date, I will hopefully
get a profiling machine built, but that is many dollars and days/years down the road.

I'm looking for measurement information (in addition to the slot length/width data
found in Pat Missin's outstanding masterpiece "Altered States").

 Any additional information on Newer Seydel, Weltmeister, Bushman (IAW "Altered 
States") or other brand harps (Lee Oskar, Huang, Hering, Suzuki, etc.)?


RIVET HOLE:
By digital caliper measurement, the rivet hole is approximately 1.016mm BEFORE
riveting and 1.05mm AFTER riveting. A search of Harp-L turned up an approximation 
of 1mm. I bought a series of metric drill bits for teesting. #59 (1.0414mm or 0.041in) 
seems to be the closest fit (very snug but it does go through) for the Hohner reeds.
This also seems to be about right for Seydel Blues Session reeds.

RIVET HOLE CENTER DISTANCE FROM REED BASE (PAD) EDGE (CENTERED ON REED BASE):
1.74mm

RIVET HOLE CENTER DISTANCE FROM REED SLOT EDGE:
2.22mm

REED BASE (PAD) WIDTH:
3.2mm

REED BASE (PAD) LENGTH (along widest part of base edge):

3.48mm


REED BASE (PAD) LENGTH (from base edge to edge of reed slot):

3.96mm



REED TONGUE WIDTH:
2.05mm (Consistent with "Altered States")

REED TONGUE LENGTH:
>From 16.6mm to 6.5mm

REED THICKNESS OF THE REED BASE (A-S-S-U-M-E-D TO BE THE SAME AS THE INITIAL THICKNESS):
0.43mm (0.016929in) 
(I've seen the unmilled thickness given as 0.012in for DIY brass reeds and 0.015 for DIY stainless steel reeds.)

RADIUS (FROM REED BASE WIDTH DOWN TO REED TONGUE WIDTH):
0.57mm

Thanks in advance for any help or prior measurement data you can provide!
Crazy (ain't it OBVIOUS?!?) Bob