Where Should I Start If I Want To Build One?

[Wheastoned]

whats the best way to begin with building a concertina and where can i get measurements for everything??

[JimLucas]

whats the best way to begin with building a concertina and where can i get measurements for everything??

You can't, as far as I know, except by taking apart an existing instrument and measuring it.

 

I suggest that you first do extensive reading in the Construction and Repair sub-Forum here on Concertina.net. (Henrik Müller's Concertina Building Topic is especially instructive, though many of the techniques he has used differ significantly from traditional methods.) That should give you a fair idea of the potential difficulties, which include creating most design details, and even some of the parts, yourself.

 

Then if you still think you want to build your own concertina, good luck to you. In the past few years a few others have done so, but very few.

[Chris Ghent]

What Jim says is correct, except rather than some parts, you will need to make almost everything yourself. And don't get put off by the negativity in his reply. Depending on your existing skills and how much time you have available, it is is not that hard to make a playable instrument; and I know half a dozen who have done it. Making an excellent instrument takes much longer, which is just to say, the theory of relativity applies.

 

If you copy a concertina make sure it is a good one. Buying Dave Elliott's maintenance manual would be some help with terminology and clues as to construction techniques. I hope you do it, more concertinas can only be a good thing...

 

Chris

[Stephen Chambers]

... where can i get measurements for everything?

If you want a "set of plans" for a traditional English concertina, you need look no further than the illustrations to Charles Wheatstone's 1844 Patent. Otherwise you can see how a German concertina is made here (but it's in German).

[Wheastoned]

thanks stephan the wheatstone diagrams are great...