Lawrence Reeves Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 I am looking for recommendations fro glues to use on valves. Also, has anyone tried successfully using a synthetic material for valves? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveS Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 (edited) I use water soluble PVA for glueing valves Edited December 23, 2013 by SteveS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcoover Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 Elmer's Glue-All has worked perfectly for me. Just a little dab, then push the valve end down with a pencil eraser and adjust if necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex_holden Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 I used hot hide glue. No problem removing the residue the next time the valves need replacing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Jowaisas Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 I like distilled shellac. Allow ready made shellac to vapor off its alcohol till it is reduced by 60%. A little trial and error will give you the right viscosity. (You can always add more shellac if it gets too thick. The advantage is that in revalving the shellac come off the wood easily and usually doesn't leave a piece of the valve behind. The person doing the next valve change will thank you. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrence Reeves Posted December 23, 2013 Author Share Posted December 23, 2013 Was hoping for something in easy tube form like a loctite, or similar. I don't see making batches, or doing this more than once a year or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex West Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 I agree with Greg in using shellac. I make up my own solution with shellac flakes and meths using a thinnish consistency for french polish and as the spirit evaporates, the thicker consistency for valve "glue". You don't need a lot for valves and the consistency is controllable. I imagine the small bottles of button shellac would be just as effective and relatively inexpensive. One of the makers I know disagrees quite strongly and prefers a white glue or an aliphatic resin and I wouldn't argue with him either! (but please don't use Evostik or one of the rubbery glues) Alex West Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Coles Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 IIRC the late Rich Morse also reported using thickened shellac, as noted above. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Edgley Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 The problem with non water soluble glues is that, while white glues perfectly well, it is very difficult to remove when replacing the valves. A water based glue like hide glue works well. I know stronger-holding glues like fish glue also work, but we're not holding the Brooklyn Bridge together. Stronger glues are not necessary for the job. A school glue stick, applied with a toothpick also works quite satisfactorily. None of these glues will fail to hold the leather valves onto the wooden reedpan. Now for Italian-style reeds, like accordion reeds, these glues will not necessarily by satisfactory. I have found "Weldbond" works well for accordion reeds whenever they need to be replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.elliott Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 Shellac as described above is good, but I use Gum Arabic, makes re-valving easy, water soluble and easy to dispense. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrence Reeves Posted December 24, 2013 Author Share Posted December 24, 2013 Thanks everyone. I will give it a try soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennisg Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 i am in the process of changing the pads on my 30 button lachenal anglo an i have noticed that the old pads (which are very old) are smaller in diameter than the groove cut into the wood,which according to david elliots book the pads must seat on top of them ,is this very importent? thanks dennis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 The circular lines scribed into the pad board are, of course, concentric with the air holes and serve to help align the pads when replacing them. That the old pads are a little smaller than these lines is not unusual... they could also be replacements. Minimizing pad size can increase output volume but a little extra overlap of hole coverage may help with air tightness... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varney Posted December 25, 2013 Share Posted December 25, 2013 (edited) Geoff said: Minimizing pad size can increase output volume I've never heard mention of this before and would be interested to know more... Edited December 25, 2013 by varney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted December 25, 2013 Share Posted December 25, 2013 (edited) Geoff said: Minimizing pad size can increase output volume I've never heard mention of this before and would be interested to know more... Well, it is like this..... the Pad acts like an Umbrella (or a damper) over the air hole to the reed chamber. The first thing that the sound wave hits on its way out of the concertina is this Pad...( or more technically , some of those sound waves ). This Pad is soft faced with some shock absorbing material sandwiched between the face leather and the backing cardboard. Thus it will soak up some of the sound. Now if the Pad is not lifting very far from the hole there will be a damping of the issuing sound and likewise if the spread of that Pad ( its width/ diameter) is larger it will cause more of the sound waves to hit it and be somewhat dampened. In the same way that a Metal ended concertina will generally be (or appear to be) louder than a Wooden ended version, due to the density différences (?) or sound reflexion qualities ... so will a concertina with less Pad dampening effect. I managed to scrape more power out of one of my Concertinas by removing one of the dampening felt washers from Under each Button... thus the buttons now go further in when pressed and the pads rise up further from the holes. Minimum sized Pad diameters will also have an effect... how much of an effect is hard to say... your mileage may differ. Edited December 25, 2013 by Geoff Wooff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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