Fretwork Repair

[dennisg]

Hi would i be wise to repair this lachenal mahogany english concertina front or make a complete new front

as shown in the pics.

Thanks for looking ,any advise would be appreciated.

dennis

[Mike Pierceall]

Hi would i be wise to repair this lachenal mahogany english concertina front or make a complete new front

as shown in the pics.

Thanks for looking ,any advise would be appreciated.

dennis

Personally, I'd mount those ends in a picture frame, and make new ones. If it were a top-end model or had some particular historical connection, I might think differently. So much of the original material is lost.

[banjojohn]

From what I can see of your photograph, you have lost approximately 7% of the area of wood on this end, which is actually not that much... If this was my concertina, I wood definitely repair this end. To make a complete new end would be far more work and you would end up with something which would not really be an antique instrument. I would cut out a neat straight sided hole in the area(s) of damage. Then reassemble the 6 side frame, using a the bellows frame as a jig (to ensure accuracy). Now select suitable maghonany for the repair. Aged materials can be cheaply sourced from furniture junk shops if you are willing to spend a bit of time looking about.... Select a piece of wood which has similar colour and grain texture and cut a slice about 2mm thicker than you require, try to cut the slice as 'quarter sawn' in relation to the orientation of the grain direction in the slice. Plane the slice on both faces down to the correct thickness to match the existing fret end. Now mark out your patches, paying attention to the grain direction if the existing end. Cut the patches slightly over size and gradually bring them down to the correct size to fit the holes, by rubbing the edges on a sanding board (220 grit glass paper glued to a flat board). Keep checking the fit and make small adjustments until you have a good snug fit, with (hopefully) no gaps. Glue the patches into place before cutting the fretwork. Once the glue has gained its full strength you can cut the fretwork. Find a photo of the same fret work end and print out a life sized copy of the area you are going to cut, use this as a cutting pattern. Good luck and let us know how you get on?

Edited December 25, 2015 by banjojohn

[dennisg]

Thanks for the coments,i'll take your advice and repair the holes.when ready for fret sawing is it best to draw the pattern on paper

and glue it lightly to the wood as a guide or draw it straight onto the wood.also what finnish should i apply the original finnish has yellowed with age,should i refinnish the other good side to balance the instrument's look

thank's

dennis.

[Mike Pierceall]

By all means give it a go if you have the desire to do so. Bear in mind that a poor repair will not only affect the appearance of the instrument but the function as well if the alignment is off. That is true whether you repair or replace the ends. You might be able to use the opposite end as a pattern if the fretwork is a mirror image, in which case you'll have to flop over the end. It is a very satisfying experience to do this kind of work.

[Chris Ghent]

Give it a go, you can't be worse off. If you draw it on paper and glue it to the wood do it with grey lines rather than black, makes it easier to distinguish it from the saw blade which will be black.

[banjojohn]

I am also looking into doing some restoration work on fret ends... I searched forums using 'polish' and found this which may well be useful: http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=13621&hl=%2Bvarnish+%2Bpolish&do=findComment&comment=134741