Brass Adjusting Screw Coming Lose

[caterpillarwrestler]

Hi All

 

I have a nice Lachenal 21 button Anglo Concertina. I have a problem with one of the brass adjusting screws on top of the instrument that holds the wrist strap in place. The brass screw has worn smooth the hole that it screws into and the screw has a tendency to slide out of place. I was thinking of putting a shim made from a thinned down match stick in the hole to enable the screw to get some purchase. Does anyone have a better idea about how to solve this problem?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Cheers

Lee

Canberra

Australia

[malcolm clapp]

Does anyone have a better idea about how to solve this problem?

 

Sure, Lee! Sell it and buy the 30 key I have for sale...

 

But seriously, the matchstick trick will work...temporarily. However, only about 6mm in length, otherwise the end of the matchstick will possibly foul an action pad.

 

Better still would be a threaded brass collar, fitted by Richard Evans or myself. like the ones used on the better quality models (such as the 30 key mentioned above... )

 

Regards,

Malcolm

[Robin Madge]

I have just had a similar problem on a Wheatstone, where the thread on the screw is starting to get too worn.

My solution was to use a small square of plumbers PTFE tape, laid on top of the hole and the screw pushed through it into place. After all, if it makes screw joints on plumbing joints watertight it should work OK for adding that fraction of a "thou" to a screw on a concertina!

 

Anybody know whether this will prevent further wearing away of the screw? I presume that it will and could be of benefit on any screw thread that is starting to fail.

 

Robin Madge

[Paul Read]

Dave Leese (see ads on this site) sells these threaded inserts (and new brass strap screws come to that). I find the wood sliver solution to be a good short-term fix.

[d.elliott]

Paul got there first! This is what I would recommend and do. I also fit these threaded inserts more or less as standard on a re-furbishment where the original concetina design relied on thumbscrews being screwed directly into the wood, subject to owner's agreement of course.

 

Dave

[caterpillarwrestler]

Hi All

 

Thanks for the advice. Especially Malcolm

 

I didnt realise that more sophisticated Concertinas than mine had such niceties as threaded brass collars.

 

Cheers Lee