Bushing A Bastari

[GregHankins]

Hi all!

I am a total beginner with an inexpensive 30-button Anglo Bastari purchased via eBay. It uses banks of accordion reeds and an aluminum lever action. The buttons are plastic on top and flat aluminum below, with a rectangular hole punched to allow the button to slip over the arms of the levers.

I have replaced all the hardened rubber sleeves with new sleeves, using silicone fuel line tubing, as suggested in various threads here. (I've read quite a few threads on buttons, bushings, and hotrodding inexpensive concertinas.)

Despite the button sleeve replacement, these buttons tend to wobble about a bit, and often wind up emerging from the bushing board and metal face at a slant. Sometimes, this results in binding. It's generally correctable with a bit of manipulating the button from above -- without taking the box apart. I have experimented with different sleeve lengths, providing more or less freedom of movement for the button relative to the arm, but without success.

This is not a fatal flaw, but it is annoying.

Looking at Tedrow's (disowned) page on hotrodding a Stagi got me wondering: should I add some bushings to the bushing board of this Bastari? And would the standard .85mm felt do the job? Or, is felting the bushing board in this style action just going to result in more binding?

The buttons are 5mm in diameter, and the holes seem to range from 8mm to 9.5mm.

Any suggestions -- or recommendations of other fixes -- would be most welcome.

Thanks!

Greg

Edited January 18, 2014 by GregHankins

[GregHankins]

Replying to my own topic for the sake of some poor soul attempting same in the future and searching the forum.

At least on my metal-ended Bastari of uncertain lineage, there is not enough clearance to use felt bushings.

Next step it to try the Bob Tedrow metal bushing technique from his disowned technique for modifying Stagis.

Greg

Edited January 18, 2014 by GregHankins

[malcolmbebb]

Just found this post.

 

I would be inclined to ditch the felt, if yours is like mine, and consider some wood, ply or MDF. Don't know about thickness, TBD I guess. Then maybe line the holes with standard 1mm or so felt bushings. This will give you some control over hole diameter.

 

Not tried Bob's method. Have no workshop facilities at present, so it's on the back burner But please post how you get on, a bunch of use are interested.

[GregHankins]

Hey Malcolm!

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I will post updates on my progress, since I perceive that there are quite a few of us trying to make do with these inexpensive boxes.

 

I think I will try to install brass buttons and bushings, though the holes in the metal cover of my Bastari do not conform to any of the brass tube diameters available from American suppliers, near as I can tell. I'll be looking for sources of metric-dimensioned tubing. Or, given the thinness of the metal end plate, I may resort to having the bushing terminate below the hole in the end plate, with only the button protruding. I have pretty much given up on dealing with the stock buttons with their little rubber tubes.

 

I will take your suggestion and explore replacing the current plywood bushing board. The holes in it are conical rather than straight, which will complicate gluing in the bushings, so it might make sense to replace it.

 

Thanks!

 

Greg

[sqzbxr]

Here is an article by Bob Tedrow on replacing the bushing board on a metal-ended Marcus Anglo. No metal sleeves needed - the holes are lined with felt. This is the traditional way metal-ended concertinas are bushed.

 

http://hmi.homewood.net/bushingboard/

Edited January 18, 2014 by sqzbxr

[GregHankins]

Brilliant!

 

Thanks, sqzbxr (that isn't by chance on your vehicle license plate?)

 

I should definitely try this first. I may still need to replace the stock buttons; I'll have to see how long the plastic top of the button and measure button travel to see if this will work with the stock buttons.

 

Greg

[sqzbxr]

that isn't by chance on your vehicle license plate?

 

Funny you should mention that... yes, it is!

[GregHankins]

Had to be . . . Squeeze on! And thanks again for the link.

[Laurence]

You might try surgical tubing. It's spongy/springy and holds the buttons vertically in place by tension. Can be purchased anywhere you find fishing gear FS.

[Wolf Molkentin]

Or the tube from a liquid hand soap dispenser - at least that's what I did some years ago, and it worked out fine that far...

[GregHankins]

I used silicone fuel line tubing to replace the hardened original bits of rubber. But I like the idea of surgical tubing, if it's a bit springier. The fuel tubing doesn't have much give.

 

My current plan is to order the proper busing felt and try that -- perhaps adding some depth to the existing bushing board. If that doesn't keep the buttons more upright, then the brass tubes and rods is the next tactic.

 

Greg

[twisper]

The silicone fuel line has worked well for me, but there are some caveats...one is to determine the exact length of tubing which will allow for a slight bit of wobble, but will not slide out of position easily on the lever arm. Once found, you must cut all 30 of them exactly the same length ((make a simple jig, if necessary) making sure that your end cuts are square.Then, there's the task of aligning the buttons onto the levers, and aligning the levers to be directly beneath the holes. This allows for the most direct up and down button travel with little if any side-play. I have noticed that some of these have buttons with the bottom tabs bent sightly, presumably to allow the buttons to stand straight, even though they bind when swinging in their arc. I usually un-bend them a bit.

I also recommend flaring the hole in the bushing board (underneath the metal end) slightly. Because Stagi/Bastari uses wooden parts that are so soft, a hand-reamer is almost too much. Use a sharpened pencil with a small piece of fine sandpaper wrapped around the tapered tip, and using that as the reamer, taper the hole thru the wooden bushing-board from the bottom up. this gives a pathway for the button that helps prevent binding in the hole. You may have also noticed that many of the factory drilled holes are not clean, and fuzzy with splinters, or mis-aligned. The pencil-sandpaper reaming will true up and clean the holes to help reduce obstruction. Stagis and Bastaris can be reasonably good players, if you wish to take the time to re-engineer and retune them. They are more like a kit than a finished instrument. Best of luck with your project!!

Edited January 29, 2014 by twisper