10 replies to this topic

[drbones]

I've asked around at a couple of shops which support this forum and can't seem to locate replacement buttons for my circa 1956 Wheatstone. I'm sure they're plastic. I'm hoping someone might have an idea where I can find a few. I appologize if I've asked this before, I'm not sure. My memory's not what it used to be. . . what was the question??
Thanks for any help

[Leo]

I've asked around at a couple of shops which support this forum and can't seem to locate replacement buttons for my circa 1956 Wheatstone. I'm sure they're plastic. I'm hoping someone might have an idea where I can find a few. I appologize if I've asked this before, I'm not sure. My memory's not what it used to be. . . what was the question??
Thanks for any help

Have you tried Concertina Spares?
http://www.concertina-spares.com/catalogue.htm

Thanks
Leo

[drbones]

Thanks, Leo. I've emailed the pics to him in hopes they will be enough so I don't have to disassemble it yet.

[Theo]

I've asked around at a couple of shops which support this forum and can't seem to locate replacement buttons for my circa 1956 Wheatstone. I'm sure they're plastic. I'm hoping someone might have an idea where I can find a few. I appologize if I've asked this before, I'm not sure. My memory's not what it used to be. . . what was the question??
Thanks for any help

Have you tried Wheatstone Spares

Edited by Theo, 17 July 2010 - 04:07 AM.

[Ben]

Dr. Bones, those buttons should be identified as the Mahogany Wheatstone buttons from the 1953 to 1956 era.

I will contact a friend in South Africa who may have a spare button or two. If one can not be located then I can ask Willie van Wyk who designs buttons from a certain fibreglass epoxy resin - in almost any colour - from ivory white to ruby red.

[drbones]

Many thanks for everyone's help. I've ordered the buttons from Concertina Spares. I only needed 2 so I ordered 4 as back-ups. I'll keep your other suggestions in mind should I need other parts.
What a nice, friendly, helpful forum this is!....even t'wards Pirates!

[jdms]

Resurrecting this thread for a similar problem: I've had a button break across the hole for the lever on my 1953 Wheatstone Aeola. It's a seldom-used button, so its loss doesn't affect my playing, but that also makes it a bit surprising that it did break...there's another visible crack in the plastic, so I'm thinking I ought to inspect all the buttons to see if any of the others are about to let go. It could be that I'll need to replace not one but several buttons.

So: Concertina Spares is a proven source, but overseas (I'm in the Boston area). I have an email in to Doug Creighton at the Button Box, but in case he doesn't have anything handy, does anyone have any notions for a source of replacement buttons that I can get with only domestic shipping charges?

Joshua Mackay-Smith

[jdms]

Problem solved: two buttons (one to replace the broken one, one to keep as a spare) are on their way to me from the Button Box. I inspected the rest of the ones on the instrument to make sure no more were developing any alarming cracks. None of them is, but one has been repaired and another is a whittled wooden replacement (under a metal cap like all the others--presumably the original...)

(edited for grammar and word choice)

Edited by jdms, 03 May 2012 - 08:58 AM.

[Jeff Loen]

Obviously replacement buttons are difficult to find.
What about turning a new button on a small wood lathe? Looks pretty simple. Then drill holes, join them, and lengthen them using a rat tail file. Could use plain maple or boxwood. I have also turned corian (synthetic countertop material). Turning white plastic should be possible, and stock is available from Tap plastic stores.
Wood might have a slightly different feel than the original (perhaps nicer than plastic?).
Just a thought.

Jeff (who likes to make pens on a small wood lathe)

[jdms]

I might have considered it--I have no experience with wood-turning myself, but I know a few wood-turners--but this particular instrument has metal-capped plastic buttons, which means anything I had turned would look a bit different. I might try something one of these days and fit the metal cap from the broken button to the result. I now have the buttons from the Button Box, though--very quick service, that--and so have no pressing need to experiment.

jdms