Fanie

One of the end bolts are broken of, so I opened the chamois cover and then found that it does not have a threaded nut plate on the edge of the bellows frame, but it has a plate inserted from the side of the frame about 10mm from the edge. Any advice on how to remove this broken bolt? Thank you

Thank you Alex.

I have another question for you guys: Look at the end plates of this concertina, normally, on the edge of the end plate the plate slopes down to the edge and then there is a flat edge section where the screws goes through. On this concertina the edge of the end plates goes up into a rounded edge and only the small portions where the screws go through are flattened. I have not seen another Wheatstone with this end plates- was this a single model or what.....?

Thank you Theo. I am going to try to make one from the shaft of an old drill bit, but how do you drill into hard steel?

That is a good idea Theo. How did you make it? Do you perhaps have a picture? Thank you

Thank you, I will check it out.

Thank you Alex

Thank you Alex, I appreciate your input. I have ordered aluminium and acetal rods. I think I will practice on the acetal and then make a set of aluminium. Another question: I need to make some new pads and I see that there is a little "button" going through the shaft that is glued to the cardboard disc. What do you use for that little button? Thanks

I have also found a supplier of white 6mm diameter deldrin/acetal rod. Which one will be better, aluminium or deldrin? Thanks

Wow, that is a lot of money. I think I must get a piece of 6mm diameter aluminium rod and make a set of new buttons on the lathe. What do you guys think?

Thanks, I will do that.

Theo, I have about 100 pounds invested in it, so I do believe it is worth restoring it into a working piece. I have started cleaning the reeds and, thanks to you Theo, they do not look too bad, and they are making a sound again. We will see later how much tuning is needed. I have also started patching the bellows inside with thin leather patches and PVA glue. I will later invest in new bellows, one day, when I am big. 😉 Some of the buttons have their tails broken off. Can the buttons work without the tail going into the hole, or will it move around? I was thinking of drilling a 2mm hole in the bottom of the button and then glue a piece of wire into the hole? Thank you for all your help and advice. I appreciate it.

Thank you gentlemen, I appreciate your help. Any tips on making new pads? Thanks

And the bellows:

And here is the action. Some of the buttons have their "tails" broken off. What were the buttons made of, casein? Any suggestions of how to make new buttons?

Thank you for your help. I appreciate it. This is what the reeds look like:

I won this concertina on an online auction in South Africa and received it today. https://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/530299374/auction.html What a disapointment!! It only makes a wheezing sound and when I opened it I found all the reeds very rusted. It has one missing and a few broken buttons, the valves are curling up and the pallets are leaking. The bellows are leaky and the action looks very fragile. So, where should I start with a restoration. Should I first take out the reeds one by one and clean them with fine sand paper? Thank you for any advice.

Thank you Steve.

I received this layout on Melodeon.net. How does it look to you guys: C row | Left:C3/G3G3/B3C4/D4E4/F4G4/A4C row | right:C5/B4E5/D5G5/F5C6/A5E6/B5G row | left:G3/D4D4/F#4G4/A4B4/C5D5/E5G row | right:G5/F#5B5/A5D6/C6G6/E6B6/F#6(push/pull) Thank you

Thank you Steve

Thank you Steve. Due to my illiteracy, I do not really understand what you are saying. But can you please give me that list/column of notes that they will understand, so that I can order the correct reeds? Thank you

Thank you Malcolm, I am completely dumb when it comes to reading music. Harmonika.cz wants to know from me "please send me SCHEMA for 20 x Mechanika reed plates for Anglo concertina in C/G" So, can somebody please help me to send them the correct "SCHEMA" Thank you

OK, I am ordering a set of new reeds in C/G for my concertina from Czech Republic. The layout that I found is this, but I am not sure if the number next to each letter is correct. (Sorry for my musical illiteracy.) Left: C1/G1, G1B1, C2/D2, E2/F2, G2/B2 Right: C3/B2, E3/D3, G3/F3, E4/B3 Left: B1/D2, D2/F#2, G2/A2, B2/C3, D3/E3 Right: G3/F#3, B3/A3, D4/C4, G4/E4, B4/F#4 Can somebody please confirm if this layout of the reeds is correct? Thank you

I contacted Harmonikas.cz and they responded with a price list of reed plates.

Thank you Jake. I did send a message to Gys, but he has not responded yet.