[Harp-L] Introducing the GASKET-VALVE System

[bren@xxxxx]

Thanks for the extra thoughts Vern. Ultrasuede is indeed a nice material for sitting valves – the ones that have gravity on their side to return to flat. Hanging valves (the ones on the undersides of chromatic reedplates) are indeed another degree of trickiness altogether. Your compressed Ultrasuede idea sounds excellent, I’m surprised they didn’t catch on. 

 

Re. sitting valves in the bottom octave of the Lucky 13: I did some trials of various quite radical shapes, and the best I came up with to avoid rattle on the low reeds is a very wide oblong shape (4mm wide), the valves being the same length as the reed slots. Though wide, because there is no overhanging tip on the valve, I believe they should not stick. Will test and see.

 

Brendan Power

 <http://www.x-reed.com> www.x-reed.com

 <http://www.brendan-power.com/> www.brendan-power.com

 <http://www.youtube.com/brendanpowermusic> www.youtube.com/brendanpowermusic

 

 

From: Vern <jevern at xxxxx> 
Sent: 13 June 2019 09:47
To: Brendan Power <bren at xxxxx>
Cc: Harp L Harp L <harp-l at xxxxx>; DavidNaiditch at xxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Introducing the GASKET-VALVE System

 

 





On Jun 12, 2019, at 11:43 PM, bren at xxxxx <mailto:bren at xxxxx>  wrote:

 


……...Thanks for the wax suggestion - is that just to reduce sticking, or to give the valve a soft landing, to reduce slap/rattle?………...



The wax is only for sticking.  Think of a polished auto or floor that resists wetting.

 

Not often, but I have experienced a closed valve of hard, springy material standing up and vibrating much as a reed does.  The variations of sound pressure seem to prevail over the more steady breath pressure. This makes a noise that I would describe as a “gargle” instead of a “rattle”.  Is this what you mean by “rattle” or is your “rattle” one brief slap as the valve returns to the plate at a breath reversal?

 

Currently, I prefer soft, non-springy Ultrasuede valves that are very quiet.  I compress 1/2 to 2/3 of their length near the rivet to make them springier so they can resist gravity on the bottom sides of the plates.  PT Gazell uses Ultrasuede on haIf-valved diatonics only on top of the plate so he doesn’t need to increase their stiffness. I also spray the tip ends with fabric guard to suppress the absorption of moisture.  

 

I applaud your joining the quest for the perfect valve.

 

Compressed Ultrasuede over waxed reed plates (belt and suspenders) works very well for me.  My recommendations have gone unheeded by the chromatic community. They were a commercial failure when Danny G.offered them for sale.  Everyone has a different favorite material.

 

Vern