Mahcks
99 posts
Feb 16, 2018
1:20 PM
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I hope it's ok for me to make a second post about this. I am hoping I could use this thread to post finished projects If anyone cares to see them. Let me know what you think!
This is my first finished set. I learned a lot and made a bunch of mistakes, but here it is!
Zebrawood on an X-Reed Sub30 Z-1
Padauk on Plunz S20 with brass comb
Last Edited by Mahcks on Feb 17, 2018 7:21 PM
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Flbl
110 posts
Feb 16, 2018
2:16 PM
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those covers look great, and the Zebrawood is a nice choice, what do the wood covers do to the sound, I'm guessing softer and more mello?
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Mahcks
100 posts
Feb 16, 2018
2:56 PM
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I'll be honest, I can't tell a difference in sound. Then again, it had the rosewood covers from a Suzuki Pureharp before.
Personally, I don't believe in tone woods especially when it comes to harmonicas. It's partly because I don't understand it and mostly because I believe the tone for harmonica depends more on the player. If a metal cover and a wood cover sound different, I would suspect the volume of air between the cover and the reedplate is dramatically reduced with wood.
I may have to experiment with taller covers. If I was to try combs, too, I could try making a harmonica with increased depth for even more space.
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nacoran
9752 posts
Feb 16, 2018
4:53 PM
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Nice looking!
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Flbl
111 posts
Feb 16, 2018
4:58 PM
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I would assume that metal covers would reflect sound waves, and wood covers wood absorb them, but with an instrument as small as a harmonica it could be difficult to tell, and as you say a lot of tone comes from the player.
Anyway you made beautiful one of a kind covers for that harp, I'll be interested to see what yo come up with next.
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Crawforde
157 posts
Feb 16, 2018
5:19 PM
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I make wood covers.
Mostly for chromatics, but I have done diatonics too.
They can change the tone a bit, I think they make the high notes sound less harsh, but that may just be me.
They are also nice for old Hohners if you are allergic to nickel.
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MP
3552 posts
Feb 16, 2018
5:23 PM
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I wonder if wood covers would make an F# warm enough to enjoy listening to for more than 1 song?
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Crawforde
158 posts
Feb 16, 2018
5:32 PM
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Maybe if you made them thick.
And closed in the back.
And maybe with an overhang that blocked the holes in front too.
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One Palm John
7 posts
Feb 17, 2018
1:06 PM
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That is gorgeous, how difficult/long was the process?
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Mahcks
101 posts
Feb 17, 2018
1:52 PM
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Padauk on Plunz S20 with brass comb
@One Palm John It takes about a week, though I'm starting to think I need to give the finish more time to cure before I start polishing. On the back of the Padauk covers you can see where I found a small spot where the shellac hadn't fully cured.
I'm using an MF70 vertical mill to shape the inside of the covers. The outside is done with files and sandpaper, as clamping becomes very tedious. Screw holes are done on the mill, but the wider holes that let the screws sink in are done by hand with a drill bit.
It takes about 8 hours at my current skill level to shape the covers and 3 or 4 days to build up a lot of thin coats of finish.
Last Edited by Mahcks on Feb 17, 2018 7:20 PM
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Bass410man
170 posts
Feb 17, 2018
4:08 PM
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Why don’t you post a clickable link, the link you have don’t work for me. I would like to see them. Thanks
Last Edited by Bass410man on Feb 17, 2018 5:01 PM
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Mahcks
102 posts
Feb 17, 2018
5:55 PM
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I don't know how. If someone could help me with that, I'd love to.
Edit: never mind, I fixed it :)
Last Edited by Mahcks on Feb 17, 2018 6:01 PM
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Bass410man
171 posts
Feb 17, 2018
9:57 PM
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Thanks Mahcks,
They look pretty cool. Is there a benefit to having wood? Or is it purely cosmetic.
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Mahcks
103 posts
Feb 18, 2018
12:38 AM
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@Bass410man I can't tell any audible difference. Aside from cosmetics, the only benefit I can think of is comfort. If I want a lower angle on the front, I can shape that. As it is, these two sets have a front slope of 45 degrees.
I'll admit I hadn't considered this possibility when I made them. I could have decreased the angle to 30 degrees or so for a harp that fits further in my mouth for easier puckering, or I could have increased it to 60 degrees. Maybe a wider front angle would be easier on tongue blocking? Who knows? Time to experiment.
There's also the back of the harp. Lot's of ideas there. Do I close it more? open it more? Move it to one side? Could I do something like the Suzuki Overdrive but with one hole per cover?
Also, I have a bit of a project I'm trying to figure out now for the Octaharp Selectable. Something I don't like about this harp is that doing the hand wah is impractical. With wooden covers I could connect the covers for a practical wah. The issue I'm stuck on is figuring out how to mate two covers together so that they are as airtight as possible and as friction-less as possible.
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