[Harp-L] Re: Vibratory Stress Relief

[Rick Epping <rickepping@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Elisabeth,

I'm still using the 2-part Hohner valves, both old style and new.  I'd
guess about one valve in every three or four plates will come loose and
require re-gluing.  Very occasionally a valve will delaminate and need to
be re-glued together.  Other than this, the ultrasonic doesn't damage the
valves in any way and leaves them clean as the driven snow.

I think some types of cement might hold up better than others, but this is
also the case with normal use apart from ultrasonic cleaning.  Super glue
seems to work well and might hold up better than the old Hohner red
cement.  Evostik contact cement holds well but it's messy to use as it
skins over on the nozzle too quickly and strings too much.  Pliobond works
alright.  I'm trying Ultrasuede valves on an XB-40 I converted into an
octave harp and have glued them onto the reedplates with shellac, which is
the preferred cement for leather accordion valves.  They're holding up
fine, though I haven't tried cleaning them in the ultrasonic yet, and I
haven't tried shellac on the Hohner 2-part valves.

Best regards,
Rick


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Message: 4
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2014 15:08:19 -0500
From: EGS1217@xxxxxxx
Subject: Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Vibratory Stress Relief
To: rickepping@xxxxxxxxx
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <2f622.a48ed7c.418a8c33@xxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Hi Rick:

While the focus of this discussion is very interesting, I'M a bit  more
curious about how the ultrasonic works on your valves since I too  have a
thing
about keeping the valves clean. As THE Hohner guy - are you still  using
Hohner's 2-part valves or have you switched to another type which can
withstand the ultrasonic vibrations better?


I've always thought (or at least heard) that the valves would come off if
one cleaned a chromatic that way. I bought a really nice ultrasonic machine
years ago --with as big a container as I could find which was still
affordable--specifically for my harmonicas. At least I planned to try it
for
everything except the reedplates, but haven't really used it other than  for
jewelry and eyewear.