Need help evaluating the state of my concertina

[ADV]

So I recently attended my first Squeeze-In, where I took a chance on the silent auction and picked up a new (to me) concertina, Wheatstone #32022! 

 

I knew it had some problems going in (loose buttons, a few out-of-tune notes, etc) but I was not entirely prepared for what I saw when I got it home: both of the action boards have deep cracks running all the way through them, which a previous owner or restorer has plugged up with glue.

 

Both end plates are also fairly warped, such that the full tension of the end bolts is required to bring their edges flush with their respective action boards. The reed pans and the bellows frame appear fine, though.

 

My first question is: how bad is all of this? Both the warping and cracking seem pretty extreme to me, but I’ve only seen the inside of five concertinas. Is this level of cracking something which can be remedied with glue and shims, or is this a replace-both-action-boards kind of problem?

 

 

My second question is: why is this happening? My working theory is that the metal end plates are to blame, since they are slightly convex in their resting state and deform noticeably when the end bolts are fully tightened. I suspect that over the ninety-six years since this machine was built, the wood has shrunk, such that the metal plates are now just a bit too big to fit in their frames, which is causing them to bow inwards, putting pressure on the wooden braces which transfer that pressure to the action boards, causing them to crack. Does this seem like a plausible explanation, or is there something else I’m missing?

 

 

My third question is: what should I do about this (aside from sending #32022 to a competent repair person, which I am currently in the process of doing)? The instrument plays all right the way it is; it leaks more air than I’d like, but the bellows (which are not original) do a good job of compensating. My biggest active concern is that both pad boards are clearly under a lot of pressure from the warped end plates, and I worry about further damage to the instrument if this is not addressed. I also worry about the stability of the repairs which have already been done to it.

 

Even though it’s only been mine for a few weeks, I’ve already developed a real fondness for this little concertina, and want to do the right thing by it. It’s got a lovely voice, and the reeds are overall in good shape. At the same time, I want to be realistic about how much of a mess I’ve gotten myself into.

 

Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

Edited October 2, 2024 by ADV

[ADV]

Additional pictures for context: