Idk if my new concertina is ok - bellows problem

[Cla]

Hi!

I bought my first concertina some mounths and I don't know if everything is ok with it. 

The bellows opens and closes also if i dont push or pull any button... Is it correct?

I know that for box - organetto in italian (?) - it is not good...

 

Thanks for your help 

[arkwright]

Hold it by one end and let the other end descend by gravity.  If it moves more than 1 cm per second that means air is leaking into the bellows.  But the leak may also be through pads or ends that don't seal well.   To locate the leak, try gently squeezing the bellows, with no key open, while holding it in front of your closed mouth.  You may feel the air, coming out, that will locate the leak.  I suppose you could also use a candle to locate a leak.   Then if it is a cheap concertina, you might find some kind of tape or sealing material in a hardware store that might work.  If it is a good concertina, the bellows are probably leather and it would be worth finding a repair person who has done this before.

[gcoover]

A candle is much too dangerous! But you can take off one end, darken the room and then put the bellows over an exposed light bulb to see if there are any leaks.

 

There will usually be some movement if you just hold the closed instrument up by one end - it's the speed of the drop that indicates leaky bellows or leaky pads or some other source of leakage.

Gary

[Ken_Coles]

Topic moved to repair forum.

 

Ken

[David Barnert]

Hold it under water, squeeze it, and see where the bubbles come out.

 

[Only kidding ]

[Cla]

Thanks everyone! 

It is definitely more than 1 cm per second... 😪 

 

[Theo]

Leaking pads are very likely if this is an old concertina, sometimes even in a new one.  Hold one end of the concertina near your ear and press gently without pressing a button.  If you can hear air escaping it's likely to be leaking pad, or pads. 

[fiddler2007]

Cheeks are very sensitive for finding a bellows- or frame leak ....