Chieftain Goatskin available for baffles

[vpo]

My Wheatstone Baritone Treble required a fretwork repair as it was cracked adjacent to the finger slide on one side, which I’ve just completed using Dave Elliott’s excellent book. It was necessary to remove the original factory gauze ( in place since 1926! ), so I decided to replace it with a leather baffle to sweeten the tone. I’ve just completed this using Chieftain grade 3 goatskin from Hewitt's in Edinburgh as recommended by Robert Gaskins in his also excellent article here on ‘how to fit baffles’ which can be found here on the site.
 

I’m really pleased with the result. A lovely improved mellow tone with minimal loss of volume and no change in required bellows pressure. Really straightforward to do.. took about 2.5 hours each side. Simply cut a paper template to shape of the action box interior allowing about 1.5 mm all round the edge for airflow. Transferred to the leather and cut. Secured in place with small pieces of 5mm double sided 3M clear acrylic tape ( not foam and very easily removed) dotted around which also raises the leather by 1.1mm to aid airflow and minimise volume loss.. Only tools required..a craft knife and good scissors. Can be very easily removed if subsequently unwanted.

 

If anyone is thinking of making/fitting baffles, I have enough beige leather left over for about 3 concertinas. (I had to buy a whole skin), so would be happy to sell leather sufficient for two ends for £20 inc postage within UK to recoup the cost of the unused leather and perhaps save someone the cost of an entire skin. Lockdown Project?!

 

 

Edited November 6, 2020 by vpo