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Mike Hulme

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About Mike Hulme

  • Birthday 05/24/1956

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Male
  • Interests
    Uilleann Pipes (Playing & Making), Fiddle, ITM and now... Concertina!
  • Location
    Liverpool UK

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  1. II have been using 0000 grade Bronze Wool to clean delicate metal items. with excellent results, including concertina reeds. It doesn't crumble like steel wool, is non-magnetic, and can be teased out and spun around a cocktail stick to make a metal cotton bud to clean the underside of tongues and reed frames. Mike/
  2. Just checked on BBC iPlayer and the episode is there but shortened, and does NOT appear to have the concertina part after a quick scan through it. Mike
  3. Last year, before Dave passed away, I bought a half completed 5" 26 key Anglo from him. I am now getting near its' completion having too much time on my hands here in England. What I can say with absolute certainty is that Dave was a very knowledgeable craftsman of the highest order. He was a skilled jeweller and this shows in his attention to small details. Each part of the instrument was made by Dave, in his own workshop, and finished to a high standard. He made his own reeds for special projects, both frames and tongues and my box has the distinction of having some reeds which I completed with spring steel supplied by Dave, from the makers of the Spitting Image puppets. Once this box is completed I will post photos on here. Regards, Mike
  4. I just acquired a 35 button Crane, steel reeds, 5 fold bellows and an inscription in the part destroyed case reading: Cadet W Helm I.T.C. 1929/30 Were Salvation Army instruments given or lent to players? The serial number is 4455. Mike
  5. I can't help you with UK suppliers, but if you search for AISI SAE 1095 carbon spring steel (an exact(ish) equivalent), there are some suppliers around who sell it in coils. Mike
  6. As you have had the action apart to refit the buttons, have you checked that the button, although refitted, is actually opening the valve? Mike
  7. Thanks, Alex and Bill. I'll get some spring wire and see how that goes. Bill - I am using maple viola ribs for my chambers. It comes as 2 mm strips and fits snugly into the slot. I'm using rabbit skin glue on the chambers, with balsa guides to keep them perpendicular while drying. Mike
  8. I'm currently routing out the reed pan slots for the chamber walls of my Anglo. Is the normal course of action to install the valve restraint pins before assembly, and what are the recommendations for the pins themselves? Mike
  9. I have noticed that some orchestral violinists' perspiration wears away the varnish where the heel of the hand contacts the top rib of the instrument. A very light coat of Renaissance Wax acts as a barrier to this and is easily replaced. Mike
  10. I've tuned the reeds now, and based on Paul and Steven's recommendations I have centred the tuning on A. This sounds fine to me, and works well in concert with Uilleann Pipes, which was what I was after. Thanks for the help. Mike
  11. I am currently at the stage of tuning the reeds for a new Anglo concertina. I have been reading, on this forum and elsewhere, on the various meantone tunings peope are using, especially on Engish concertina. I have the data I need for ET, 1/4 Comma and 1/5 Comma cent offsets, and I would like to know whether they offer any advantage in group playing. The tuner I use has the capabity to play chords and instantly switch to any other tuning. To my ear 1/5 Comma sounds much more harmonious than 1/4 Comma or ET; the 3rds and 6ths benefit greatly from the lack of beating. Would there be any benefit in applying meantone tuning to an Anglo to be mainly played in sessions/with other instruments? Your comments and insights would be appreciated. Mike
  12. https://www.amazon.com/YaeTek-Leather-Machine-Splitter-Skiving/dp/B07BJX9XC3/ref=sr_1_64?keywords=leather+skiving+tool&qid=1578689405&sr=8-64 This is the Chinese version of the classic German Scharf-Fix machine which has been around for years - at about 5 times the price of the Chinese offering! I bought one last year and, with careful setting up will do the job well. The safety razor blades they come with are rubbish however, and you would need to source some high quality blades (Personna Platinum for example) and only skive two to three feet of leather with each edge before changing edges/blades. Mike
  13. After having a look inside I found that the reeds were Nickolds, so that appears to be the maker. No serial number however.
  14. I've just acquired a 26 key Anglo with the label "H.A.A. IMPROVED LONDON E.C." in the oval frame. Outwardly it looks like a typical Lachenal box rebadged by/for a seller, but inside it has an excellent set of steel reeds. Does anyone know who H.A.A. were? Tried searching but nothing came up. Mike
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