Missing button caps?

[david robertson]

I just finished the restoration of a 35-key tenor New Model, which had two buttons with their end caps missing. The buttons are unusually long, and therefore hard to find, so I thought I'd try repairing them - and it turns out to be surprisingly simple. (Forgive me if all you old hands know this already!)

First I removed the caps from two shorter spare buttons, by dint of applying a soldering iron to the outside. Then I filled the cavity of the New Model buttons with as much solder wire as I could get in. Now the tricky bit: lining up the new cap with the old button, while fixing it end-on in a vice. (NB light pressure only, or you'll bend the pin.) I wasn't sure that the button would conduct heat from the iron well enough to melt the solder, but it does. Finally, a quick spin in the Dremel on a Brasso'd rag, and the buttons look good as new.

[Theo]

I use a similar method, but apply a coating of solder to both sides of the joint, then apply flux and finish off as you describe.

 

I have a free supply of little nickel silver discs punched from the holes of Shaw whistles - Dave Shaw lives nearby! The discs do sometimes need to be domed before use, and have to be trimmed to size afterwards, so its a bit more work, but saves having to break complete spare buttons. If anyone needs a few of the discs let me know.