I Have Definately Aged Today

[Christian Husmann]

Hello folks,

 

I just have to share my first experience with opening a vintage concertina - and in a nutshell it was hell.

I did everything the way it is adviced (not getting the srews mixed up, unscrewing the opposite screws and so on) and it opened quickly. After having everything inspected I wanted to put it together again which just didn´t work... on an English that is, the two screws next to the thumb strap and the finger rest just didn´t want to go back into their holes. Once one put into place the opposite one wouldn´t fit anymore.

I think after an hour or so, having thought to start smoking again, leaving it on the table to get a strong drink somewhere and other ideas of what to do with the instrument it finally managed to get it back together...

 

Here are the two results:

 

- I will never do this again.

- it´s so much more air-tight than before. Seems that the end bolts have been a bit loose. I am goint to wait

a couple of days and than losen and tighten the srews on both sides again, I think.

 

I have aged today.

Tired greetings

Christian

Edited May 15, 2007 by Christian Husmann

[Chris Timson]

- it´s so much more air-tight than before. Seems that the end bolts have been a bit loose. I am goint to wait

a couple of days and than losen and tighten the srews on both sides again, I think.

Not wishing to turn your hair whiter, but don't overtighten the screws. Perhaps one of the makers can give a figure for an apprporiate torque, but my rule of thumb is to do the final tightening with just two fingers, and even then I don't apply full force.

 

You do seem to have had an unusually hard time. Take Dr Timson's advice: I prescribe a glass of the single malt of your choice.

 

Chris

[spindizzy]

I wonder if the posts that the two screws fit into had shifted (one of them, on one end of my Lachenal needs refixing - it's come away from the soundboard)

 

I guess you tried everything already (and don't want to try again!) but some combination of loosely fitting the 6 edge bolts, just a couple of turns, then there would be enough play to try and get the 2 centre screws in.

 

Chris

Edited May 15, 2007 by spindizzy

[Christian Husmann]

- it´s so much more air-tight than before. Seems that the end bolts have been a bit loose. I am goint to wait

a couple of days and than losen and tighten the srews on both sides again, I think.

Not wishing to turn your hair whiter, but don't overtighten the screws. Perhaps one of the makers can give a figure for an apprporiate torque, but my rule of thumb is to do the final tightening with just two fingers, and even then I don't apply full force.

 

You do seem to have had an unusually hard time. Take Dr Timson's advice: I prescribe a glass of the single malt of your choice.

 

Chris

 

Hello,

 

thanks for the advice! I think (and hope) I have been careful enough not to damage anything. I tightened them slowly and stopped immediately when I reached the point when you just can´t go any further.

 

I wonder if the posts that the two screws fit into had shifted (one of them, on one end of my Lachenal needs refixing - it's come away from the soundboard)

 

I guess you tried everything already (and don't want to try again!) but some combination of loosely fitting the 6 edge bolts, just a couple of turns, then there would be enough play to try and get the 2 centre screws in.

 

Chris

 

No, no, I won´t try it again - I am glad to see it sitting there in just one piece.

So, still I am a bit worried because I assume it´s got to do with the pad board. I seems to have moved a bit and as well I could see a tiny little gap on one side between pad board and action box

I am expecting at the moment an answer from W. Wakker because he´s not far away from where I live - I´d like him to have a look at it.

At the moment I am just enjoying the instrument holding air so much better than before.

 

Greetings

Christian

[Dana Johnson]

on an English that is, the two screws next to the thumb strap and the finger rest just didn´t want to go back into their holes. Once one put into place the opposite one wouldn´t fit anymore.

On vintage instruments, I've often noticed that some screws are difficult to get back into their original holes. Most of the time, this is because the concertina ends shrink and expand a little bit with drying or getting damp, but the bellows frame holding the nuts for the screws does not change in the same way, if at all. In order to reassemble, I've found that one side or another needs pushing in very slightly. ( a little pressure on the side of the bellows frame ) to reallign the holes. This is best done before the screws are fully tightened, to distribute the shifting of the frame over more of the screws. Once the screws are in place everything is held in the proper orientation although under tension. It's just part of the animal, and once you know how to cope with it, it is no longer an issue.

 

Hopefully you won't have any need to open it up for a long time, but don't let this sot of experience stop you. If you can do it again or watch while Wim does it, You'll likely pick up all the pointers you'll need. Concertinas can be subject to a number of ills and most of them are easily remedied at home in a few minutes. Be a shame to have to send it out for every little thing.

Dana

[Christian Husmann]

on an English that is, the two screws next to the thumb strap and the finger rest just didn´t want to go back into their holes. Once one put into place the opposite one wouldn´t fit anymore.

On vintage instruments, I've often noticed that some screws are difficult to get back into their original holes. Most of the time, this is because the concertina ends shrink and expand a little bit with drying or getting damp, but the bellows frame holding the nuts for the screws does not change in the same way, if at all. In order to reassemble, I've found that one side or another needs pushing in very slightly. ( a little pressure on the side of the bellows frame ) to reallign the holes. This is best done before the screws are fully tightened, to distribute the shifting of the frame over more of the screws. Once the screws are in place everything is held in the proper orientation although under tension. It's just part of the animal, and once you know how to cope with it, it is no longer an issue.

 

Hopefully you won't have any need to open it up for a long time, but don't let this sot of experience stop you. If you can do it again or watch while Wim does it, You'll likely pick up all the pointers you'll need. Concertinas can be subject to a number of ills and most of them are easily remedied at home in a few minutes. Be a shame to have to send it out for every little thing.

Dana

 

Hello Dana,

 

yes, that was the only way to put it back together, with a bit of pressure on the bellows frame. Maybe that was what put me off as well because I was so scared of doing that thinking I am going to hear a loud crack the next moment and seeing the instruments seriously damaged.

 

Well, I know that it doesn´t make any sense to send it away for all these "little" things that can turn up occasionally but I really do hope that I won´t have to do it very often.

Also, I am a bit concerned about the little gap between action box and pad board on one side - It surely is the pad board which is causing these problems...

 

thanks for your answer!

Christian