[Harp-L] Overheating/Untempering Reeds

[Vern]

Brass does not  temper and anneal with dissolved carbon as does steel. Quenching brass has no effect.

Soft brass is normally hardened by rolling.  That breaks the metal grains into smaller ones. It is called work-hardening.
It is done to the brass before it is made into reeds.

It is unlikely that you got the brass hot enough to cause the large grains to re-form.
It is more likely that you have a mechanical problem with centering or gapping.
The dull bit may have caused you to drill the hole in the wrong place.

If you are using a screw to attach the reed, you may be able to correct an off-center hole.
IF you are using a rivet, an off-center hole is fatal.

Look at the reed against a backlight and make sure that it has a uniform clearance on both sides and the end.

The gap size should be larger than its higher-pitched neighbor and smaller than its lower pitched neighbor.

Vern
 
> On Sep 12, 2017, at 4:43 PM, Bob Marsolais <bob at xxxxx> wrote:
> 
> In a beginner at this so thanks for your patience.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a G Lucky 13 that has a bad hole 1' blow reed, that is, a G3 reed.  I
> purchased a replacement reed from Brendan Power.  I didn't realize how dull
> my drill bit was until I drilled a hole in the reed  - it got so hot it
> burned the masking tape that was holding it down, something I have not seen
> on the videos I've watched.  After the reed was installed and proper
> clearances verified, it sounded very dull. ( I don't mean flat or sharp, but
> no crispness like the other reeds.)  In addition, it was much quieter than
> the other reeds.
> 
> 
> 
> By getting the reed so hot, did I "untemper" it?  If so, can I restore the
> temper by reheating the reed and quenching it in oil?  Or should I just
> discard it and get another reed.  Thanks for the help!
> 
> 
> 
> Bob
> 
> 
>