ridge
302 posts
Feb 07, 2012
6:58 PM
|
If you do ANY harmonica customizing, do yourself a favor and get an UST from Dick Sjoeberg.
I asked for one for Christmas and man oh man is it sweet. I'm finally starting to get the hang of it and the results for embossing are awesome! It's Way better than using a socket/penny/tuning fork/baby tooth.
I know HarpNinja and Jim have both plugged it before, so I figured one more plug from an obscure internet harmonica player couldn't hurt.
If you aren't convinced yet, maybe the free world wide shipping will do it for you!
|
Gnarly
157 posts
Feb 07, 2012
11:23 PM
|
You are so right--I got one and it rocks.
I thought I didn't need it, as I have a good embossing tool, that is basically a ball bearing on a stick (that says Kodak on it, so I guess it's a photography tool).
The UST puts that tool to shame.
|
Libertad
33 posts
Feb 08, 2012
1:51 AM
|
just ordered one thanks
Last Edited by on Feb 08, 2012 2:05 AM
|
arzajac
739 posts
Feb 08, 2012
5:53 AM
|
I think he changed the design slightly. Here it is in the instruction booklet:
And here it is on his website now:
However, the functional end is the same. I tried making a copy and there just is no comparison. It's well worth the $16.
I compared the use of a small screwdriver (well, several, actually) with the UST. (See the last minute of of Alex Paclin's two-video Overblow youtube lesson on how he embosses with a small screwdriver.) The UST does a better job hands down. The angle is perfect for getting right in there. A screwdriver tends to fall a little short. It's hard to do a good job without the UST.
----------
Last Edited by on Feb 08, 2012 7:24 PM
|
HarpNinja
2136 posts
Feb 08, 2012
6:33 AM
|
The best way to get one right now is direct through Dick. I am out of my stock, and you save time having him ship direct to you rather than to me and then you.
I hope to have them back in stock and available at this year's HCH.
For embossing near the rivet, it is a huge time saver. I don't have to swing reeds and never worry about over-embossing.
I've experimented quite a bit with how it can be used for the other 2/3 of the reed slot and have found that, for the most part, that it works really well and is very hard to screw up, lol.
I use magnification and multiple light sources to visually check the reedslots - both with the reed in and out of the slot. I also use shims to check spacing.
A couple approaches to using it for the other 2/3 of the slot:
Use it in similar fashion to do each side separately with a shim
or
with the reed pressed in the slot.
Emboss both sides with something like a penny as high as you can and then use the UST to do the rest.
In regards to the space between the reed and reedslot, all three of those techniques work really well and clean (if you emboss with another tool first, you need to run the UST down enough to make sure the moved brass overlaps well).
I will try to illustrate some of this at HCH, but it might be hard to show a group of people the before and after without some sort of projector, etc.
In the shop, I check the work with magnification...I've found that embossing with something like the back of a countrsink I have and then blending that with the UST up to the rivet is the fastest/neatest/most consistent way of doing it.
For 90% of people, simply embossing and making sure the reeds are centered and there are no burrs is more than enough effort to put in on using the UST. I highly recommend using mineral oil per Dick's suggestion and washing the harp before playing (not only because the mineral oil is on the harp but you are moving brass and such).
On harder materials like stainless steal, you sometimes have to create a grove or gouge the plate to get it started. Does that make sense? You have to sora scour with the first pass and then make another lighter pass to create a smooth reedslot.
Finally, if you play with that angle at which you use it, you can create a steeper or flatter edge where you emboss. That gets to be a little trickier to master without creating a higher risk of nicking a reed, but it is some food for thought.
----------
Mike
VHT Special 6 Mods
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
Last Edited by on Feb 08, 2012 6:35 AM
|
GEEZER1
141 posts
Feb 08, 2012
8:57 AM
|
How can you order this tool? It sounds like a good investment.
|
arzajac
740 posts
Feb 08, 2012
9:35 AM
|
Order Now!
----------
|
ridge
303 posts
Feb 08, 2012
11:16 AM
|
Mike,
Are you talking about making a groove at the very edge of the slot? I recall that Jim has a post on his forum about making grooves, but he made them further away from the slot.
I was going to comment earlier and say that the UST works really well on brass, but plates made from harder material don't seem to respond as well.
-Dan
|
S-harp
8 posts
Feb 08, 2012
12:39 PM
|
I Bought one from Dick Sjoenerg here in Sweden one or two years ago. It was easy to get the tecnique and I even think there is an instruction manual aviable.
Part from what's already been said in earlier posts I' d just like to ad a couple of things ... the tool also made it easier for me to widen the slots sides when over-embossed aswell as easily shorten the slot when needed.
The embossing surface of the tool is highly polished witch in my opp. gave me more control and a smoother surface. The applying pressure needed is very light and it often just takes à couple of strokes. Center the reed and it's done in à minute.
----------
The tone, the tone ... and the tone.
|
Honkin On Bobo
918 posts
Feb 08, 2012
12:50 PM
|
Six-pack Old Milwaukee $5.00
Used CD "Blues Harp Boogie - 25 Yrs. of Blues" $5.00
Double Bacon Cheeseburger from "The Brown Bag" (local greasy spoon) - $6.00
-----------------------------
look for my new tune - Captcha Fightin' Blues
Last Edited by on Feb 08, 2012 12:51 PM
|
Epworthslim
51 posts
Feb 08, 2012
3:07 PM
|
this would be even better if it had a reed alignment tool on the other end.
Slim.
----------
Slim's-Custom-Harmonica-Cases-Website
|
MP
2010 posts
Feb 08, 2012
6:34 PM
|
i went to the site and it appears that there are two models. the UST and the UST plinker.
perhaps this is what arzajac meant about a design change?
Question, sort of off topic. i use the thinnest feeler gage/shim from the Seydel set. are there thinner gages?
----------
MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
|
arzajac
741 posts
Feb 08, 2012
7:21 PM
|
Mark, what I meant is that the ones he sells now look a little different than in the instructions.
This is the plinker one.
As for shims, that'S a great question. Does anyone know what gage is the shim found inside a "sensormatic" antitheft device?
I've always assumed it was 0.02, but I have no way of measuring it.
----------
Last Edited by on Feb 08, 2012 7:25 PM
|
HarpNinja
2137 posts
Feb 09, 2012
6:07 AM
|
The plinker is removed in the new version to keep the price down. Adding a second tool to the back end adds to the labor, which adds to the cost.
I primarily use one with the plinker, but I don't every use the plinker for plinking reeds.
Regarding shims and deburring, Richard Sleigh's kit offers .001, which is also what Chris Michalek offered.
I recently bough a huge roll off of Amazon, lol.
At one time Dick had sent me some shims made of a gold colored material. They aren't as tough as the stainless steel ones (work great for light deburring, but not on a reed that is really stuck), and that appeared to be around .001 as well.
It is totally possible to sand down a .001 to be even thinner, but IME, I haven't come across a harp yet where .001 didn't work.
I use .002 for other things...same with a third thicker shim, but I don't remember the number off the top of my head.
----------
Mike
VHT Special 6 Mods
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
|
Joe_L
1717 posts
Feb 09, 2012
7:41 AM
|
You could buy a similar tool in most prisons for a pack of cigarettes.
----------
The Blues Photo Gallery
|
Littoral
485 posts
Feb 09, 2012
8:11 AM
|
Thanks. I should have seen this sooner. Reading the article/directions was a serious eye opener. EXTREMELY well written piece. Now I'll order one.
|
Epworthslim
52 posts
Feb 09, 2012
1:08 PM
|
good news theres another model coming out with a reed alignment tool on it too.
----------
Slim's-Custom-Harmonica-Cases-Website
|
Tag
43 posts
Feb 09, 2012
1:43 PM
|
GREAT! You just talked me into holding off until that one with the alignment tool comes out.
Last Edited by on Feb 09, 2012 1:43 PM
|
ridge
304 posts
Feb 10, 2012
8:08 AM
|
@Honkin - Good alternate suggestions!
@HarpNinja - Dick sent me some of those gold shims that you're talking about. I already managed to ruin one of them; they are not very tough as you stated because they are quite thin.
Wow, I didn't expect this to generate so much conversation. I'm glad a few others found this interesting. It really is worth it... I'm a cheap bastard and barely buy anything.
|
MP
2015 posts
Feb 10, 2012
11:24 AM
|
i think i need to get some .001s from amazon too.
either that or shoplift anti shoplifting devices. :)
all my papery shims are torn to bits and the Seydel shim is too thick.
----------
MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
|
KingBiscuit
157 posts
Feb 21, 2012
6:48 AM
|
Hello all,
I ordered a UST a couple weeks ago via PayPal. I have not gotten an order confirmation so I sent an e-mail to contact@mastercustom.com inquiring on the status of the order. The e-mail failed because the mastercustom mail server is no longer available.
Has anyone had recent contact with Dick Sjoeberg? I'm assuming he is still in business since his website seems to have been recently updated with a new, more expensive UST.
edit...I just noticed that while PayPal shows his e-mail address as mastercustom.com, his web site contact shows masterharp.com. Perhaps my money is sitting in limbo.
Thanks,
Dan
Last Edited by on Feb 21, 2012 6:50 AM
|
HarpNinja
2184 posts
Feb 21, 2012
6:57 AM
|
Email him at info@wawamusic.nu.
----------
Mike
VHT Special 6 Mods
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
|
KingBiscuit
159 posts
Feb 21, 2012
5:05 AM
|
*** UPDATE ***
I just received a positive response back letting me know that he received my order and paypal payment both. He'll be sending my UST out ASAP.
Dan
|
