Building Course?

[owlgal]

Has there ever been a building course or thoughts of one? I've look through Bob Tedrows great photo series http://hmi.homewood.net/twitterzephyr/ on how to build one so I know it's fairly complicated.

[Marcus]

I built the kit offered by Wim Wakker of Concertina Connection. It's a 30 button C/G Anglo. I ended up sending the kit to Wim for final tweaking. Building a concertina is a very involved process. I have very limited D-I-Y skills and found even building the kit to be a challenge. I would leave it to the professionals in the future!

I do however have a much better understanding of how it all comes together and I have the satisfaction of knowing that my Clover is truly one of a kind!

[JimLucas]

I built the kit offered by Wim Wakker of Concertina Connection. It's a 30 button C/G Anglo. I ended up sending the kit to Wim for final tweaking. Building a concertina is a very involved process. I have very limited D-I-Y skills and found even building the kit to be a challenge. I would leave it to the professionals in the future!

 

A good response. Building a concertina from a kit is a sort of "course", and certainly something most should consider trying before they attempt to build one "from scratch".

 

But maybe owlgal is thinking of a sort of combination, such as a weekend (or week, or series of evenings, or...) where several individuals each build their own instruments from supplied parts/kits under the watchful eye and direction of an "instructor"? I believe there's an annual event in England for doing just that with melodeons, but I haven't yet heard of one for concertinas.

[asdormire]

While a course may not be available, Owlgal, you may want to pick up a copy of Dave Elliot's concertina repair manual. It will at least give you a feel for how our little music machines are put together.

 

Alan

[owlgal]

 

 

"But maybe owlgal is thinking of a sort of combination, such as a weekend (or week, or series of evenings, or...) where several individuals each build their own instruments from supplied parts/kits under the watchful eye and direction of an "instructor"? I believe there's an annual event in England for doing just that with melodeons, but I haven't yet heard of one for concertinas."

 

 

 

That's exactly what I mean :-) I also just received the repair manual book which will be interesting reading.

[Bruce McCaskey]

While not dead on topic to this thread, I think this is close enough to be of interest.

 

I recently posted a link in the Videos section to a five minute Youtube video about an apprentice concertina builder working in Frank Edgley's shop. I think it's a wonderful video, very well made, interesting and with several shots that give you a feel for where Frank's instruments are constructed and some of the equipment involved.

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DHeA5YRm3iQ

[owlgal]

While not dead on topic to this thread, I think this is close enough to be of interest.

 

I recently posted a link in the Videos section to a five minute Youtube video about an apprentice concertina builder working in Frank Edgley's shop. I think it's a wonderful video, very well made, interesting and with several shots that give you a feel for where Frank's instruments are constructed and some of the equipment involved.

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DHeA5YRm3iQ

 

Really nice little documentary :-)