Popculture Chameleon
135 posts
Feb 24, 2016
1:19 PM
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Im talking about the old special 20 plates before hohner did the revamp on them late last year-
I have thought about smoothing the edges - i know I can probably use some high grit sandpaper but while walking through a hardware store a stumbled across a dremel tool and thought that might do the trick even better- am I on the right track in this line of thinking sorry for asking but this would be my first customization project and I want to get it right.
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snowman
153 posts
Feb 24, 2016
4:47 PM
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Are U talking about opening up the back or just 600 grit on the edges?---I'd start with opening up the back---I don't personally feel it makes a sound difference ---but it looks cool--It lets me know which harps Ive gapped--I roll the back lip back by hand on an anvil pointed end then gently hammer flat--I haven't had luck starting just with a hammer
Last Edited by snowman on Feb 24, 2016 4:48 PM
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Popculture Chameleon
138 posts
Feb 24, 2016
4:56 PM
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just to smooth out the edges- I have already looked into getting some new combs from blue moon just haven't decided which ones to get yet
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mlefree
598 posts
Feb 24, 2016
6:46 PM
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Negatory on the Dremel! I cringe when I hear about someone taking a Dremel tool to a nice harmonica. If you're not real careful you could go right through that nickel plating.
If you want to polish the sharpish edges 3M's polishing papers are the dope. They're not really paper. They feel more like cloth, not woven but more like a dollar bill. I guess that is paper then.
Anyway, cut strips and hand polish starting with the coarsest grit and working your way down in grit size until you're satisfied with the smoothness. If you want to go all out take a soft cloth and some metal polish for a mirror finish.
SilverWing Leather - Custom leather creations for musicians and other eccentrics.
Last Edited by mlefree on Feb 24, 2016 6:51 PM
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9000
252 posts
Feb 24, 2016
7:28 PM
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I don't understand. All the sharp edges of the coverplate are recessed into the plastic comb. What is there to "smooth out"?
Jay
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Music speaks where words fail.
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Killa_Hertz
622 posts
Feb 24, 2016
7:56 PM
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If you wanna smooth out the edges. A dremel IS a good idea. But use the wire wheel. No stones or grinding wheels.
If you have a big wire wheel it works better, but dremel will do the trick
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"Trust Those Who Seek The Truth. Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
Last Edited by Killa_Hertz on Feb 24, 2016 7:59 PM
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LSB
188 posts
Feb 25, 2016
6:33 AM
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PC, are you talking about the place where the cover plates are folded into a corner to the left of hole 1 and the right of hole 10? The sharp edges that hohner got rid of on the Rocket and Rocket Amp?
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Popculture Chameleon
139 posts
Feb 25, 2016
9:21 AM
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LSB exactly I have a hard time with the edges cutting into my lip while i play them. I use Rockets for solo playing and practice but to not drown out anyone I play with I use special 20s They are loud but nearly as loud as the Rockets. I love the sound of the special 20 but hate the sharp edges they have around the comb
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LSB
189 posts
Feb 26, 2016
9:40 AM
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PC, I thought so. Man I hate those cover plate corners, they are torture for TB players, particularly if you don't pucker the 1 and 2. It's crazy that Hohner still makes them that way.
My solution would be to file with a small and very fine tooth flat file. Probably not the best idea though unless you've already developed so file skills on delicate work - I've had some training as a jeweler and I used to make woodwinds.
Alternately, a thin strip of sand paper folded in half lengthwise, then held partially bent around the corner while pulling back and forth would be my next suggestion. The trick here though is that you need a way to hold the harp because you need both hands for the sandpaper. A vise with padded jaws would be best.
Hmmm, I have 3 or 4 SP 20's at home I never use, and I have the files, sandpaper and vise..... Maybe if I have time this weekend I'll have at some covers and let you know what I learn.
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mlefree
602 posts
Feb 26, 2016
11:39 AM
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Y'all can take my word for it or find out the hard way.
You would be well-advised to be very careful about the aggressiveness of your files, Dremel wire brushes, sandpaper, etc. Chrome plating is between 0.005 and 0.01 mils thick. That's .000005 inches thick, folks.
If you wear through that plating it will start to peel. You think your cover plates are sharp now? Peeling chrome plating is like scalpel. Cut your lips to ribbons,
I'll look forward to your reports.
Michelle
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SilverWing Leather - Custom leather creations for musicians and other eccentrics.
Last Edited by mlefree on Feb 26, 2016 11:40 AM
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Thievin' Heathen
692 posts
Feb 26, 2016
12:10 PM
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I was not aware I was dealing with chrome plating. I have been buying up old Marine Bands on ebay for approx. 5 years and using them for learning how to customize. Some have been in pretty bad shape, but cleaned up reasonably well with Liquid Wrench, Barkeeper's Friend, Tarnex, etc. and a brass brush in a cheap ($10) Harbor Freight rotary tool. I have tried a real Dremel tool but it spun way too fast.
I have seen a lot of rust pitted cover plates, but never noticed any flaking surfaces.
I polish with buffing compound, Mother's Chrome & Mag, Nevr-Dull, Clover valve lapping compound, toothpaste or whatever. I just make sure I wash it off real good and follow with the final 90% iso alcohol wipe down.
I have never tried sanding a cover plate and don't plan to. Whether or not all that the other stuff I try is advisable(Tarnex?), I can't say. Your results may vary.
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nacoran
8964 posts
Feb 26, 2016
12:28 PM
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I've thought about attacking it from the other direction. Maybe add solder to smooth things out? (Not the lead solder though!)
You can, I know, do some gentle rebending on the front edge to close the gap on that front tab bend. It seems to me it's a poor design. There are other models that round that corner at less of a right angle (Blues Harps, both pre-MS and current ones, for instance, not to mention GMs).
Another possibility, if you are really ambitious, would be to get a small jeweler's anvil and a ball peen hammer and see if you could round the corner out from the inside. That would be tough though. Or gently tap the corner down a bit to make it less sharp... although I'm just brainstorming. I don't know of anyone who has tried that yet. Blues Band covers are pretty similar. For $5ish you could try any experiments on one of them first.
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Nate
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First Post- May 8, 2009
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Halffast
29 posts
Feb 26, 2016
1:08 PM
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My SP20s don't give me much trouble but for some reason the corners of my Lee Oskars' top cover plates have always snagged my moustache pretty bad . I got tired of it so I mixed up a bit of clear , 5-minute epoxy , dabbed some into that corner with a tooth pick , and then put a piece of masking tape over the corner to keep the glue from running out . Had to prop up the harp so the glue stayed in the taped corner and didn't run out on the reed plate . Next day I removed the tape and smoothed the corner with an emery board followed by a piece of crocus cloth . The corner is now nice and smooth and no longer snags the 'stache .You just have to be careful not to get the epoxy anywhere you don't want it .
Last Edited by Halffast on Feb 27, 2016 5:14 AM
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mlefree
603 posts
Feb 26, 2016
7:53 PM
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I like Nate's idea of silver soldering the joint shut and then smoothing the solder.
If you decide to embark on rounding the edges, what you want is a jeweler's Dapping punch set. A dapping punch is a punch with a perfect ball on one end and is used with a dapping block, which has a series of hemisphirical depressions that fit the punch balls.
You can pay a fortune but here's a relatively inexpensive one.
Dapping punch set
Michelle
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SilverWing Leather - Custom leather creations for musicians and other eccentrics.
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Raven
75 posts
Feb 27, 2016
10:23 AM
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Stick with stainless steel covers and trim the 'stache. Then you don't have to worry about plate peeling or hours of customizing covers.
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nacoran
8967 posts
Feb 27, 2016
11:28 AM
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Michelle, there is always a better tool for the job! Much better choice than my anvil and ball peen hammer suggestion. :)
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Nate
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