Removing tight reed shoes from inboard chambers on a Jeffries

[wunks]

It's hard to see if there is in fact room to do this.  I don't want to bust the chamber wall.  Any tips?

[Alex West]

If you really have to get it out, bust the chamber walls at the glued joint, then glue them back in after and make sure the chamois gasket seals

 

Alex West

[Stephen Chambers]

3 minutes ago, Alex West said:

If you really have to get it out, bust the chamber walls at the glued joint, then glue them back in after and make sure the chamois gasket seals

 

 

It's the ONLY way with some of them...

[wunks]

OK, so I can infer that the shoes were slid into their slots and the walls assembled after?  In other words , no clearance at the rear of the shoe?

[Stephen Chambers]

19 hours ago, wunks said:

OK, so I can infer that the shoes were slid into their slots and the walls assembled after?  In other words , no clearance at the rear of the shoe?

 

Yes, the back walls of the chambers were only lightly glued in, and flush with the surface of the reed pan (not slotted in). I'd tease them gently out using a small pair of smooth-faced, square-nosed, pliers.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Stephen Chambers

[Clive Thorne]

Sounds like there's a need for a special "Reed Pulling" tool. Easy to envisage on outboard slots. No so easy for inboard slots.

[Jake Middleton-Metcalfe]

I have personally not had to deal with this issue ever, all of the 38 key Jeffries instruments I ever worked on had the inboard reed frames screwed down, does anyone have any pictures of this different not easily removable setup? Sounds like one to be wary of. 

 

Also Clive I did after a few years actually make a "reed pulling tool" to make taking reeds out for tuning - someone told me Geoff Crabb had one and I thought "well that sounds quite useful actually", easier on the finger tips!

[wunks]

6 hours ago, Jake Middleton-Metcalfe said:

I have personally not had to deal with this issue ever, all of the 38 key Jeffries instruments I ever worked on had the inboard reed frames screwed down, does anyone have any pictures of this different not easily removable setup? Sounds like one to be wary of. 

 

Also Clive I did after a few years actually make a "reed pulling tool" to make taking reeds out for tuning - someone told me Geoff Crabb had one and I thought "well that sounds quite useful actually", easier on the finger tips!

It's a 50 button duet.  

[Richard Mellish]

Failing to design for serviceability is evidently nothing new.

[Theo]

Often these  reeds in the middle don’t need to be pulled back far in order to release them from their tapered slot.  The slot is often on a slope with the reed tip at the usual depth and the screw clamp end barely below the surface.  If you can push it as far as the chamber wall the reed may lift out.

Edited October 19, 2022 by Theo

[wunks]

I only tried one.  Maybe it was just stuck.  I'll try others.  If one comes free the rest should.

[Jake Middleton-Metcalfe]

thanks for sharing the images. I haven't worked on any Jeffries duets actually, quite interesting.

[Alex West]

I came across the issue with a 45 key Jeffries GD Anglo on the right hand side.  There was just no room to slide the reed backwards at all.  There's usually plenty of space on a 39 key Jeffries and on those which have screwed down reeds rather than slotted reeds

 

Alex West

[wunks]

Thanx all. I'm going to try a bright light and a hand lens to get a visual. 

[wunks]

And so...  The inboard reeds (on left hand and right hand side as well as both sides of each reed pan) are indeed tapered downward from heel to toe so they should come out but they're all still tight as hell.  I think I'll wait for drier air mid winter.  Do I dare tap on the clamp in the out direction?

[Theo]

Push on the clamp with a broad flat-bladed screwdriver.