[Harp-L] Gaskets for Special 20, Lee Oskar, and Seydel, Session Diatonic Harmonicas

[Michelle LeFree]

Vern wrote:

> I'm skeptical about the efficacy of plate gaskets.  Assuming combs and plates that are not egregiously warped, the amount of air escaping under the plates is minuscule compared to the amount escaping around the opening reed. Gasketing or grouting the plates is like weatherstripping the windows in a room with an open doorway.

I'm in a wait and see posture over these gaskets. My knee jerk reaction 
was that this has been done before and abandoned. I remembered Tim Moyer 
and his micropore tape gasket "experiment." They ended up causing more 
problems than they solved. As I recall, they collected gunk, became 
unsanitary, and ended up even causing problems gumming up reeds. They 
also failed over time.

Then I realized that most if not all of those issues were due to the 
nature of micropore tape. It's sticky, porous and dries up and 
deteriorates. If the material is the problem then Teflon might be the 
ideal solution. It certainly wouldn't be sticky or porous.

But then, there is that open door-window caulking problem...

Maybe Tim could chime in here.

Michelle