Re-furbish of original hexagonal case

[Roger Hare]

The original hexagonal wooden case which came with one of my instruments has finally given

up the ghost, and the screws fixing the hinges to the box/lid have pulled out.

 

I need to re-fix them (probably the easy part), but while I'm at it, I might as well do a re-furbish.

 

The fabric lining is completely faded, and basically done-for, so, what sort of material should I

use to re-line the box? More specifically, what sort of glue should I use to fix the fabric to the

inside of the box/lid? I'm thinking good-old fashioned bookbinders paste which (presumably)

will not stain the fabric. The current fabric is not 'fluffy' but is a thin, fine-weave, linen-like quality.

I think I should probably try and replace it with something similar...

 

What sort of leather should I use to replace the carrying strap?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Roger

Edited November 1, 2019 by lachenal74693

[Bazza12]

Hi. I have used a 22/25mm wide brown leather strap, cut to length (allowing for the turns under the lid) with the ends scrived down to allow them to be glued to the lid. As to the lining, I used 1mm thk acrylic felt glued with ordinary "white school" glue, which dries clear. Will try to attach photos of finished box later. I used a wood filler for the hinge screw problem, pilot drilled after drying for 24 hrs, in order to fit new brass screws.

Edited January 2, 2020 by Bazza12
Fat fingers/misspelling.

[Roger Hare]

7 hours ago, Bazza12 said:

Hi. I have used a 22/25mm wide brown leather strap, cut to length etc...

That's extremely helpful. Thank you very much!

[Peter Smith]

I have refurbished fie or six 'black' concertina boxes. The materials I have used and things learned are listed below.

To clean off the old coverings inside & outside the box, I usually use an electric palm sander - much quicker & easier than scraping & sanding by hand. I would check the box for any splits between the wooden sides & glue them using wood glue (& a woodworking band clamp to hold it all together). For the outside of the box, I have used a material like Skivertex book binding paper (I have bought some off E-bay recently but previously obtained it from Concertina Spares). I will be trying Buckram book cloth on my next box to give a different finish. I have used PVA glue to attach it but any indentations on the woodwork do show through.

Internally, I have used non-stretch velvet, again held in using PVA (or Trimits Fabric Glue). One cautionary note from Alex Holden, is that PVA glue contains acetic acid (vinegar). He noted that the acetic acid can cause the metal finish on a ended concertina to tarnish. I tend to leave the box open for a few days for the acetic acid to evaporate. The velvet is 1-2mm thick and will reduce the internal size of the box slightly, so if the concertina is tight fitting before, it may not go into a box lined with velvet.

For the strap, I use black leather belt strip matching the width of the slots in the lid (Trademcrafts on E-bay). I make sure the ends meet inside the lid & glue them firmly inside using wood or PVA glue. 

Hope this is some help and would be happy to answer any questions.

Regards

Peter

[Bazza12]

22 hours ago, Bazza12 said:

Hi. I have used a 22/25mm wide brown leather strap, cut to length (allowing for the turns under the lid) with the ends scrived down to allow them to be glued to the lid. As to the lining, I used 1mm thk acrylic felt glued with ordinary "white school" glue, which dries clear. Will try to attach photos of finished box later. I used a wood filler for the hinge screw problem, pilot drilled after drying for 24 hrs, in order to fit new brass screws.

Hi. pics of restored box as promised. (Hard to do, when you are not a computer geek). Regards, Bazz12