BonesIVXX
11 posts
Mar 28, 2013
7:30 AM
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I sealed a comb using butchers block oil and sealant. It looks good but there is a taste that I do not care for. Will this go away?
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arzajac
1021 posts
Mar 28, 2013
8:03 AM
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I have some that took about a year for the smell to go away to a degree that I was happy with. I don't use it any more.
I use water-based varnish with excellent results.
I sand/round the tines and remove the coat of finish from the factory. Less is more.
Then I apply a coat of varnish to the insides of the tines and to the tips of the tines and perimeter. Once dry, I apply a second coat. Any varnish that gets onto the sides of the comb in the process will dry up and make it a pain to flatten the comb, so I wipe it up or rub it into the wood before it dries.
Once that's dry, I flatsand the comb. I apply three coats of varnish to the sides of the comb by rubbing it on with my finger and polishing it in. There is a learning curve to this because if you don't wait long enough, you won't get a seal. If you wait too long between applying the varnish and polishing, you end up with a surface that is no longer flat.
If you do it correctly, polishing the third coat will make the surface pretty shiny.
Then I apply three coats to the tips of the tines and as needed to the perimeter.
I've picked up speed and I can do three combs in a total of an hour's work over three or four days. It's a lot of work, but a harp is only as good as the comb.
Here's a pic of a custom Eb I mailed this morning. The only difference between this comb and what I just described is that I painted the tips of the tines black before applying the varnish.
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Last Edited by arzajac on Mar 28, 2013 8:07 AM
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MP
2694 posts
Mar 28, 2013
1:27 PM
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Hey Andrew! Wow! Nice! did you have floridatrader powder coat the cover plates or did you do it yourself?
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MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name [MP] for info-
repair videos on YouTube.
you can reach me via Facebook. Mark Prados
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florida-trader
277 posts
Mar 28, 2013
1:59 PM
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MP. I don't think those are powder coated. I think it is the black liner on the inside of the box that is being reflected on the stock chrome covers. But I would be happy to powder coat some covers for Andrew or you any time.
Edited to add - @ Andrew. The comb looks super. Nice work. If you show many more pictures like this you might put me out of business. :)
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Last Edited by florida-trader on Mar 28, 2013 2:00 PM
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BonesIVXX
12 posts
Mar 28, 2013
6:37 PM
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Nice work arzajac, looks sharp. Mine did not that good. Thanks for the tips. If you by a custom comb do they come sealed. I had a little trouble getting it sanded.
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florida-trader
278 posts
Mar 29, 2013
8:41 AM
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@Bones - virtually all custom combs are sealed regardless of who you get them from. The genesis of all custom combs is the pear wood Marine Band comb which is prone to warping and swelling. That is the first problem that harp players sought to resolve when they began disassembling Marine Bands and making them better. The "industry" has evolved a lot since then but waterproofing a comb is the lowest common denominator among all comb makers.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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Kingley
2476 posts
Mar 29, 2013
8:47 AM
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Arzajac- Andrew very nice work. That comb looks great!
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florida-trader
279 posts
Mar 30, 2013
10:07 AM
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Bones. This is a thread about combs so can I assume you are asking about combs? I don't powder coat combs. I powder coat cover plates. I do make combs in Blue Anodized Aluminum. Does that answer your question?
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Last Edited by florida-trader on Mar 30, 2013 10:12 AM
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BonesIVXX
14 posts
Mar 30, 2013
10:53 AM
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Sorry I was talking about cover plates. I looked at your sight and the Moon Stone look pretty close to gun metal.
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florida-trader
280 posts
Mar 30, 2013
11:30 AM
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Ah. I can get covers powder coated pretty much any color you want. I can't stock every color but if you want me to get a set or two done for you in gun metal I can do that - no problemo. If you are interested, contact me via email and we can work something out.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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MP
2695 posts
Mar 30, 2013
1:35 PM
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@florida-trader
Doh!
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MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name [MP] for info-
repair videos on YouTube.
you can reach me via Facebook. Mark Prados
|
