Re: [Harp-L] Help with Chromatic repair

[harp <harp@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi George,

I have not done any work on replacing reeds – just stock rivets.  The harp currently has the windsavers pressed down over the rivet projections, but no holes punched.  I watched one of the Hohner maintenance videos - #6, I think, that had to do with windsaver replacement, and they showed a process that used their ($$$) punch.  Are you saying that the windsavers work just fine if they are pressed down over the rivet  projections?

Okay on the comb replacement.  Good luck with your project.  I assume you will post here when they are available?

Thank you,
Brad

From: George Miklas <harmonicat@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:harmonicat@xxxxxxxxx>>
Date: Thursday, January 16, 2014 at 4:36 PM
To: harp <harp@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:harp@xxxxxxxxx>>
Cc: "harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx<mailto:harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx<mailto:harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Help with Chromatic repair

Rivet holes in wind savers: Have you replaced rivets with screws or screws/nuts?  You should not need to punch holes for any other reason.

Broken wood combs:  Everybody has a method of repairing wood chromatic combs.  Or you can replace the comb with plastic.  Later this year, I will to begin production of the Miklas Lifetime Comb to replace wood and aluminum chromatic combs in 10, 12, 14, and 16 hole models.  Individually milled from solid ABS, Delrin, or Acrylic, with threaded metal inserts so that reed plates and cover plates can be removed individually. More information will be made available as it develops on my website:  http://HarmonicaGallery.com/repair

George

On Thursday, January 16, 2014, harp <harp@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:harp@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Dear Harp-L,

I have always played the diatonic harp, but have been curious about the chromatic.  I recently purchased a couple of older Hohner Chromonicas – one is a 10-hole, and the other is a “super” 12 hole.  Both have wood combs, and both are in need of maintenance.  I regularly work on my diatonics, but I have never had a chromatic before, so I am jumping right into the deep end of the swimming pool and am going to do some work on these to see if I can make them fully functional.  But I need some help/parts.

I have already cleaned them up some, and I have opened up the gap on some reeds that were choking and have “ironed out” a reed that had been bent.  100% better already, but I still have a long way to go.  Here are the issues where I could use some advice:

-  Both harps have broken combs.  The Super has a vertical crack on the 10-hole that is between 1/16” and 1/8” wide.  This means that both the upper and lower reeds of hole 10 play regardless of where the slide is positioned.  The 10-hole Chromonica also has a vertical crack in the comb, but it is not at all as bad, and it does not seem to leak enough air between the upper and lower chambers to affect how it plays.  Does anyone have any recommendations on repairing the comb?  I can think of several ways to go about it, but I thought I would ask the group first.
-  Of course, the windsavers are shot.  Should I just buy the windsavers from Hohner (currently out of stock – anyone have some they would like to sell?)
-  Any suggestions on how to punch rivet holes in the windsavers short of buying the $350 Hohner tool kit?
-  Does anyone have some of the slide buffers (the little pieces of plastic tubing that cover the mouthpiece screws)?

Thank you very much,
Brad


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