Re: [Harp-L] Re: Rick Epping: the Father of Embossing

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Dec 28, 2012, at 12:36 PM, Rick Epping wrote:
> 
> Hi Joe,
> 
> There are a couple of good reasons why it's unlikely that embossing has
> been done on accordions.

I agree. Not necessary.

>  First of all, since the early 1930's accordion
> reedplates have been made of duralumin and have a much higher tensile
> strength than do harmonica reedplates.

As well as being over 1/8" (3mm +) in thickness. (btw, a good argument for thick reed plates) lol. 

>  I've tried to emboss them and have
> found it nearly impossible.

I would think it would take a 'press'.

>  The pressure needed to raise any kind of burr
> was so great that I feared any slip might damage the reed.

And that would be disastrous. Given the high cost of these instruments. 
> 
> Accordion reedplates would certainly not have been embossed at the factory,

Oh, certainly not. And you have given the answers I was hoping for. I wasn't certain. And I don't like being uncertain. 

> since the technique is so time consuming.  Reedplate coining achieves
> similar results and can be done rapidly by machine.
> 
> It's also unlikely that embossing would have been attempted by professional
> players on their accordions as an aftermarket procedure even if it were
> possible to work duralumin plates, for the simple reason that the
> instruments are just too expensive to mess with.  The cheapest accordion in
> Hohner's top-of-the-line series is the Gola 414.  It's current retail price
> is in excess of $49,000.
> 
> In 40 years of working on accordions I have never seen one with embossed
> reed slots.

I did some repairs myself and on one particular Detroit made unit (I forget the name), I made a new reed plate. I cut the tapered slots out by hand, and finish filed them to size. I used road sign sign board aluminum...softer than standard plate stock. After I was done, the tone on one of the reeds was too soft, so I embossed the draw slot. The reeds themselves were made from steel from the return spring from a 'Marchant' calculator. It worked. I charged $35.oo

smokey-joe, the fishin musician, the doo-wop cop, the Punjab of Java-Pour. 

> 
> Best regards to all,
> Rick