MindTheGap
1679 posts
Jun 11, 2016
1:48 AM
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ABS is a material with such good properties for this purpose that I reckon if the main manufacturers didn't use it, then you'd leap on it as a 'wonder material'.
Concrete, soapstone, teflon, shredded fabric in epoxy resin, varnished wood???
I've even read of someone, somewhere advocating (or making?) carbon fibre combs. Everyone can make their own choices but for me there isn't a bargepole long enough.
Seems our experiences differ. I find any ABS comb-harp far less abrasive than any sandwich-construction harp. But none of them are that bad. Compared to any other instrument I've tried, the harmonica is the least uncomfortable physically. Maybe the recorder (also often made from ABS for all good reasons). I can play it for literally hours - most other instruments you'd get a sore something.
These boutique combs do look lovely. I think it's enough to enjoy the aesthetics of these well-engineered small objects of beauty without having to justify them in any other way.
The advantage of Corian is that eventually you are going to drop and break it, and then you can buy another comb, in a different colour or material :) Having a never-ending search for perfection is good for the soul, and an important feature of all activities.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Jun 11, 2016 3:02 AM
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florida-trader
931 posts
Jun 11, 2016
7:46 AM
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Nate – I remember reading about Buddha making combs out of recycled blue jeans and I thought whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago and my machinist presented me with a Seydel 1847 comb he cut from a material that is made from cotton fiber and resin. It is a Phenalic. He said it stinks like crazy when he is milling it but the finished product has absolutely zero odor. It is hard as a rock and super flat. I asked him to get me the MSDS Fact Sheet and I am considering adding it to my arsenal. Have a look.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Last Edited by florida-trader on Jun 11, 2016 7:47 AM
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STME58
1735 posts
Jun 11, 2016
8:09 AM
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When I saw that basically paper comb, I though of the paper railroad wheels that were used for a while in the 19th century. I see to recall there were some paper boats at the time.
Somewhat along the lines of the paper railroad wheel, a person could make a dieset (similar to the pones used to cut gaskets) to cut comb shapes from construction paper. Using different colors for aesthetic purposes, adding a bonding agent, stacking the cutouts to the desired thickness and adding pressure till cured would give you a hard dense comb with no machining. It may or may not require flat sanding, depending on the effectiveness of your clamping fixture and curing process.
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Killa_Hertz
1570 posts
Jun 11, 2016
8:20 AM
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Tom
That material looks very nice. Is that surface textured or does it just look that way? It looks very unflat.
The edges that will show look very nice and wood grainy. Is the material dense like a resin? Or light like bamboo or pearwood?
Always exciting to see new things come out. I think the perfect comb would have the properties of Bamboo or Pearwood, but be waterproof. Not just sealed.
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florida-trader
933 posts
Jun 11, 2016
8:33 AM
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It is smooth as glass. No rough texture at all.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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SuperBee
3839 posts
Jun 11, 2016
9:28 AM
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Looks good Tom...id like to know more about the resin.
All this talk of combs has led me to go to work on my own harps for a change...
I've at last built an E harp I'm happy with, from special 20 plates and a Zajac comb. I've flattened reed plates, addressed all the reed issues I'm capable of, and it's come together very well. With these combs Andrew makes you can set the covers and reed plates very neat and close and adjust tine projection from flush to prominent. This one reminds me of a golden melody now. And plays very well,for my skill level.
Brendan Power is making 3D printed ABS combs for chromatics...I'm buying the hype with those...just replaced a couple of broken wooden combs from a pair of 270s. I couldn't be more pleased with the Power combs.
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nacoran
9096 posts
Jun 11, 2016
9:52 AM
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Looks good Tom! Material science is fascinating stuff.
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Nate
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