Tuning Bellows

[alex_holden]

I've just put up a blog post about the process of making my new tuning bellows:

https://www.holdenconcertinas.com/?p=606

 

[David Hornett]

Looks very effective Alex. You're certainly keener than I, who made do with scavenged concertina bellows mounted under a old university examination desk. You may over time develop your reed fittings to fit harmonica and accordion -- remember accordions have a plate containing two reeds and so it is handy to judge their tuning blow and draw without unwaxing and removing them unless absolutely essential, and harmonicas have one long reed plate.

 

Great job

 

David

[alex_holden]

Thanks David! In truth the primary goal of this project was learning bellows-making on something where I don't mind if they have a few cosmetic flaws as long as they hold air. It would be easy enough to plug the concertina reed holder and add a second plate for other types of reed.

[Myrtle's cook]

They look a very neat set of bellows and overall solution - really informative Blog to, most interesting - thank you!

 

There was an interesting article in the June ICA Concertina World on Bill Crossland and his work and workshop. He has developed a similar solution mounted on a fairly tall bench so that he could operate the bellows via a strap attached to his leg/knee. The only flaw I could think of was being distracted whilst attached and moving away from the bench suddenly and so potentially tearing the bellows. Then again, no doubt Bill (and others) have much greater powers of concentration that I.

[alex_holden]

They look a very neat set of bellows and overall solution - really informative Blog to, most interesting - thank you!

 

There was an interesting article in the June ICA Concertina World on Bill Crossland and his work and workshop. He has developed a similar solution mounted on a fairly tall bench so that he could operate the bellows via a strap attached to his leg/knee. The only flaw I could think of was being distracted whilst attached and moving away from the bench suddenly and so potentially tearing the bellows. Then again, no doubt Bill (and others) have much greater powers of concentration that I.

Thanks, credit for the concept goes to the Crabb family: Geoffrey kindly sent me details of his tuning rig and a photo of his father using it in the 1970s. Because there are lead weights in the bottom, if your chair is at a suitable height you can just lift it with your knee and let gravity pull it back down.

[Patrick McMahon]

Thanks David! In truth the primary goal of this project was learning bellows-making on something where I don't mind if they have a few cosmetic flaws as long as they hold air. It would be easy enough to plug the concertina reed holder and add a second plate for other types of reed.

There are an infinite number of ways of making a tuning bellows, but I like yours as it has similar dimensions to the concertina.

I use an old accordion bellows, cut in half, with something on one end for my feet, and hand holds on the other.

So I can sit down and just lift the bellows top end up and down to operate it.

 

The squashy squeezy plastic packaging material makes a good plug for the air holes that you're not using. Squashes in and out easily and lasts forever.