Puff Of Air

[Larryo]

Hi all,

 

I have a relatively new anglo and when the E note button is pressed, there is a small puff of air before the note sounds. I checked the other main notes and there is no similar sound there. Is this an indication of a leaky anything or something not doing it's job bang on correctly??

 

thank you in advance

 

Larry

[PeterT]

I have a relatively new anglo and when the E note button is pressed, there is a small puff of air before the note sounds.

Hi Larry,

 

Could the reed-frame be slightly loose in the reed-pan, enabling air to escape rather than sound the reed?

 

Regards,

Peter.

[Dave Prebble]

I have a relatively new anglo and when the E note button is pressed, there is a small puff of air before the note sounds.

Hi Larry,

 

Could the reed-frame be slightly loose in the reed-pan, enabling air to escape rather than sound the reed?

 

Regards,

Peter.

 

Worth checking the valves on that compartment are seating correctly and are not gettng caught up. This can allow a certian amount of air to pass through the companion reed before the object reed sounds.

 

Also quite possible that the tip of that reed is set a little too high and air initially passes the reed tip without causing the depression that initiates the reed sounding. The reed may have to be re-set.

 

Handy tip !

A stethoscope with the drum end removed and a short section of stiff tube inserted into the 'sound tube' that runs to the earpiece is a great tool for accurately locating leaks. The thin stiff tube can be poked through fretwork holes and if carefully used will even identify which side of a pad is leaking.

 

If a reed is out of the instrument and on a tuning bellows this setup will also give an accurate indication of even minute volumes of air passing the tip and can be useful aid in setting the reed tips.

 

Regards

 

Dave

 

A cheapo stethoscope can be had for 3 or 4 pounds on ebay - there are hundreds of them listed.

Edited December 11, 2006 by Dave Prebble

[d.elliott]

I would go for the reed set first (raised tip) but beware, if you bend the reed back to reduce the set, remember: no gap = no sound at all. Small gap and the reed will sound but be muted in volume.

 

Also repeated reed bending will flatten the reed pitch slightly

 

Dave E

[m3838]

I would go for the reed set first (raised tip) but beware, if you bend the reed back to reduce the set, remember: no gap = no sound at all. Small gap and the reed will sound but be muted in volume.

 

Also repeated reed bending will flatten the reed pitch slightly

 

Dave E

 

How do you bend the reed inwards? There's not enough space to really bned it in, besides, the reeds are built to bend, you can sit for ours and try to bend it with a wooden stick, with no result. Too much bending outwards is acheaved, with risk of breaking, I guess.

[Dave Prebble]

I would go for the reed set first (raised tip) but beware, if you bend the reed back to reduce the set, remember: no gap = no sound at all. Small gap and the reed will sound but be muted in volume.

 

Also repeated reed bending will flatten the reed pitch slightly

 

Dave E

 

How do you bend the reed inwards? There's not enough space to really bned it in, besides, the reeds are built to bend, you can sit for ours and try to bend it with a wooden stick, with no result. Too much bending outwards is acheaved, with risk of breaking, I guess.

 

It can be, and is usually, done with th aid of a thin sliver of wood such as a lolly or popsickle stick.

It is nearly always necessary to remove the reed assembly from it's slot in order to do this. This allows access to apply pressure or support to both sides of the reed tongue

The process demands plenty of care and I am afraid, a lot of practice in order to get desired and consistent results without causing damage to the reeds........ especially easy when setting the paper thin high reeds on a treble or piccolo.

No other way my friend.... Its back to that old scrap accordion and get practicing on those reeds first.

 

Regards

Dave

Edited December 14, 2006 by Dave Prebble

[Larryo]

thank you everybody

[m3838]

// Its back to that old scrap accordion and get practicing on those reeds first.//

 

OK. So I got this wooden stick, and I removed the assembly.

Now what? I mostly am interested in resetting large slow reeds.

Where do you apply the pressure and do you support the reed base?

Edited December 15, 2006 by m3838

[Frank Edgley]

If your reed is too high, causing the "air" sound, you must lower it by pushing down on it. Depending on the hardness of the steel of the particular reed it may be quite resistant to taking on the new set. However, persevere. It's better to be cautious and take it slowly than overbend. I use a small awl rather than wood as I am afraid a splinter may become lodged in the reed slot. A very small screwdriver also works. Rather than push directly down on the tongue with the tip of whatever I'm using (let's say the tiny screwdriver), I lay the shaft of the driver, parallel, onto the tongue of the reed. Then I carefully "lever" it down so that the tongue is being pressed upon the length of the screwdriver shaft, and the bending is more at the base of the reed rather than the tip. It's a bit scary to do at first, but unless there is a flaw in the steel of the tongue it should not break. I have done this thousands of times and have never broken one. So long as you do this gradually, you shouldn't overbend it. If you do you will have to reverse the process, which tends to flatten the pitch a bit. However, to raise the tongue I use a stiff backed razor blade and lever it upwards.

[d.elliott]

I use a small awl rather than wood as I am afraid a splinter may become lodged in the reed slot. A very small screwdriver also works. Rather than push directly down on the tongue with the tip of whatever I'm using (let's say the tiny screwdriver), I lay the shaft of the driver, parallel, onto the tongue of the reed. Then I carefully "lever" it down so that the tongue is being pressed upon the length of the screwdriver shaft, and the bending is more at the base of the reed rather than the tip. It's a bit scary to do at first, but unless there is a flaw in the steel of the tongue it should not break.

 

I was taught to use wood to press on the reed, steel on steels (or worse still) brass can slip and cause the reed to bend. A 90 deg bend on a reed is a bit of a bu**er to sort out. Admittedly the risk greater is on small reeds.

 

Dave