Jim Besser Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 During a robust session today, one button on my Jeffries Anglo decided to play games with me. The notes are sounding continuously; the button is fully depressed, but when I pull it up, it just sits there limply, and the 2 notes continue to sound without any pressure on the button. I'm guessing a broken spring, but would welcome any suggestions before I open it up. If it's a spring: any suggestions on how to put on a new one? I do have spares, but have never performed this particular surgery. Or is there another likely cause? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunks Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 Broken spring and a piece of it interfering with the pad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted September 12, 2021 Share Posted September 12, 2021 You have been very lucky Jim, to have played so many years on an old concertina without having to replace a spring!! I just love it when a spring breaks or a pad comes loose in the middle of a session or a gig, to be expected, of course when using old machinery. Having to replace a spring under less than ideal lighting conditions and without those extra powerful close focus spectacles ! It is a fiddly job better done in comfort at home so , having been caught out once or twice I prefer to carry a spare concertina. While you have the lid off you might want to check the condition of the other springs, though metal fatigue is not too easy to spot, and look for loose pads that are just waiting for an opportunity to add an unwanted drone to your performance. Finding both parts of the broken spring and adjusting the new spring to the playing pressure you like goes without saying BUT with an old Jeffries I would examine carefully the lever pivot holes which can become quite worn after 100 + years of use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.elliott Posted September 12, 2021 Share Posted September 12, 2021 most likely a spring, there are two types, Left hand and Right hand when ordering get one of each to avoid disappointment. It is possible to turn a spring from one hand to another, but the hook end can break off. Try to avoid steel spring replacements, they can be a bit too strong. You are better with brass or phos-bronze replacements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted September 13, 2021 Author Share Posted September 13, 2021 Definitely the spring. The bad news: it sheered off flush with the action board; there's nothing to grip to pull it out. Any suggestions, other than the obvious ("Send it to a professional)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcoover Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 I would think you could push in a new spring next to where the old one sheared off? A spring broke on me in the middle of a gig - a piece of scotch tape quickly placed over the hole allowed the show to go on. But it sure messed with the concentration to hit a dead button! Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.elliott Posted September 17, 2021 Share Posted September 17, 2021 Use a spike to form the pilot for a new hole adjacent to the old spring anchorage point no harm will be done and you will be up and running again. That is what a professional would do. Short of digging out the old spring end, drilling or chiselling a cavity in the action plate, gluing in a bit of new wood, then dressing it flat before fitting your new spring, it is all that can be done. You often come across evidence of spring replacement with old spring holes and stubs left in them. It is no detriment, just a small footprint in the history of the concertina. A 'get you away' remedy whilst waiting to replace a spring is a small piece of kitchen sponge pushed between the pivot post and the key, cut thick enough to hold the lever arm up and thus the pad in place. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted September 17, 2021 Share Posted September 17, 2021 On 9/12/2021 at 5:36 AM, d.elliott said: most likely a spring, there are two types, Left hand and Right hand when ordering get one of each to avoid disappointment. Is there any general agreement on which is the right-hand spring and which is the left? I have always assumed that the right-hand spring is the one with the hook that curls around the lever like the fingers of the right hand and vice-versa, but I’ve never actually seen that in print. Page 25 of your book talks around it without actually making it clear, but suggests the other convention, saying that they “usually hook to the left” (which is what I would have called a right-hand spring), but does not explicitly say that this is a left-hand spring. For having a few spares, it’s easy enough to just order a few of each, but for replacing a whole collection with many that hook left and few that hook right it’s important that the buyer and the supplier are speaking the same language. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted September 17, 2021 Author Share Posted September 17, 2021 9 hours ago, d.elliott said: Use a spike to form the pilot for a new hole adjacent to the old spring anchorage point no harm will be done and you will be up and running again. That is what a professional would do. Short of digging out A 'get you away' remedy whilst waiting to replace a spring is a small piece of kitchen sponge pushed between the pivot post and the key, cut thick enough to hold the lever arm up and thus the pad in place. Thanks, Dave. I thought about doing that, but given the age of the instrument and my own lack of skill, I decided to let a pro do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.elliott Posted September 20, 2021 Share Posted September 20, 2021 On 9/17/2021 at 1:03 PM, David Barnert said: Is there any general agreement on which is the right-hand spring and which is the left? I have always assumed that the right-hand spring is the one with the hook that curls around the lever like the fingers of the right hand and vice-versa, but I’ve never actually seen that in print. Page 25 of your book talks around it without actually making it clear, but suggests the other convention, saying that they “usually hook to the left” (which is what I would have called a right-hand spring), but does not explicitly say that this is a left-hand spring. For having a few spares, it’s easy enough to just order a few of each, but for replacing a whole collection with many that hook left and few that hook right it’s important that the buyer and the supplier are speaking the same language. I have always wondered if my assumption about this is correct, Looking from the pivot post he LH spring has the pig-tail wound the the LH side of the anchor spike, and has the hook bending the the left of of the pigtail, The RH spring has it's pigtail wound on the other side of the anchor spike with its hook bent to the right of the pigtail. I am probably wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 14 hours ago, d.elliott said: I have always wondered ... I am probably wrong As I suspected, the answer is: There is no real answer. If you want a few of each, you might order, say, three right-hand springs and three left-hand springs, and you’ll get just what you want. But if you want unbalanced numbers, or all the same, it’s probably best to describe unmistakably what you want without referring to right-hand springs or left-hand springs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now