isaacullah
2087 posts
Jul 23, 2012
11:46 AM
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Hi folks, in another thread I had mentioned that, being a poor student all these years and not being able to afford a "real" reed replacement tool set, I was forced to assemble my own set of tools as cheaply as possible. Luckily, there is a Harbor Freight store near to me (it's a cheap-o hardware store), so I was able to create a fully functional reed replacement tool set for very little money. I will outline it here for you!
The heart of the tool kit is the de-riveter. I made this from a pair of "grommet setting" pliers (http://www.harborfreight.com/grommet-pliers-with-100-grommets-66707.html). (cost: $4.99)
This is what it looks like after I modified it:
You can see that I filed down the "nipple" to the size needed to pop out rivets:
I also filed a groove in the opposite side of the pliers for the reed to rest in:
That groove is very important, as it keeps the reed from being crimped or bent when the reed pops out. Another tip is to sand or file down the back of the rivets before you try to pop them out. This makes it a lot easier to pop them out.
The donor rivet and reed come out still attached together, so it's easiest to leave them like that, and put them onto the plate using a small hobby anvil, a small hobby hammer, and a nail set. (total cost: ~$12) You just place the donor reed in the slot, making sure the rivet is seated in the hole, put the whole thing on the anvil, then position the nail set over the rivet head, and whack it a few times with the small hammer to set it in place. A set of little pliers is nice to have as well, though perhaps not fully necessary. They can help when holding small objects in place. (cost: $6.99)
Then you can use a reed wrench or some shims to align the reed. I've made my own reed wrench using the jewellers files (see below) and piece of metal stock I found somewhere, and I get the shim stock from those magnetic anti-theft tags you find in CD's.
To tune the reed, at minimum you will need a set of jewlers files too (cost: $3:49).
Finally, you set the gaps. I have a little gapping tool Chris Michalek made for me out of a bit of brass wire, and that's the only other tool I use when working on harps.
Oh, and I also got this neat set of precision screwdrivers which I use to assemble/disassemble harps (cost: $6.99, although there are cheaper ones available for $3.99).
Total cost: $34, but you could assemble a serviceable kit for as low as $20 if you omitted some items, and went cheaper on others...
Hope that helps some of you!
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Last Edited by on Jul 23, 2012 11:54 AM
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Hobostubs Ashlock
1892 posts
Jul 23, 2012
12:15 PM
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thats cool I cant believe you was able to file down the nipple so thin with out the thing just breaking off,cause that steel aint that good for those tools,But it looks like you did,Did you use a hand file?
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Hobostubs
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isaacullah
2088 posts
Jul 23, 2012
1:15 PM
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Yup! I used a jewellers file. It took a while, but wasn't too hard, actually... The steel isn't high quality, but it's plenty hard enough to pop a brass rivet out of a brass plate!
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Last Edited by on Jul 23, 2012 1:16 PM
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Hobostubs Ashlock
1893 posts
Jul 23, 2012
2:03 PM
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yea it looks like it would work,Nice job
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Hobostubs
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isaacullah
2089 posts
Jul 23, 2012
2:28 PM
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Thanks!
I should probably also mention that I've made that de-riveter about a year and half ago, and I've probably de-riveted at least 20-30 reeds with it. To my knowledge, it works with Hohner Marine Bands, Special 20's, Golden Melodies, and MS harps, Seydel Solist Pros, and the Huang Star Performer. I've also removed reeds from various cheap-o harps (mainly as practice), but those are difficult because their thin reeds bend so easily...
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Hobostubs Ashlock
1895 posts
Jul 23, 2012
2:38 PM
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Do you buy reeds,or just use some old harp reeds and if so,do you just matche it as close as you can then tune it?Ive wondered about that for awhile but never asked,
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Hobostubs
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isaacullah
2090 posts
Jul 23, 2012
3:12 PM
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I've got enough old harps now that I just harvest from them. I try to match a reed, but a lot of times I can't get an exact match. I usually then use a longer reed, temporarily hold it in place in the slot, mark the length through the back of the reedslot with a sharpie, then I trim the reed to length with flush cut nippers (which come in that pack of mini-pliers linked to in my OP). Then I set the reed in place permanently, and tune it to pitch with a file. It works like a charm!
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ridge
369 posts
Jul 24, 2012
11:41 AM
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Really cool. Thanks for sharing. I love DIY guides!!!
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MP
2357 posts
Jul 24, 2012
11:45 AM
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hi isaac,
i'm cheap as a matter of principle.
Great tips here if you are like minded.
those files are just fine and better than the Lee Oskar file by a mile. besides, you get a whole friggin set! you can tune with any one of them. you'll never need another file.
anyway, i modded my de-riviter with masking tape so the rivet stays in the donor reed too.
instead of a pliers to hold the reed in place i use blue painters tape to align and secure reed to plate.
it works so well i don't need a set. i just whack it a couple three times with my 2 oz hammer.
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MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name for info-
Last Edited by on Jul 24, 2012 2:02 PM
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FreeWilly
287 posts
Jul 24, 2012
12:26 PM
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Fun stuff Isaac.
I have a very related question. Jewelersfiles are around 5$. They have a grid of around 150 if you get real good ones. Most probably have 100<. My question is: what's against using fine grain sandingpaper? If you have the reed supported in the right fashion, would the careful use of sandingpaper not be a more reed-friendly option? Or is that not controlable enough?
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MP
2360 posts
Jul 24, 2012
12:43 PM
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FreeWilly,
you can use sandpaper. it works great but it takes longer to tune a reed. if the grit is very fine (400,600, 800) your work looks very neat and precise.
heavier grits can look messy but work faster.
richard sleigh is now including a soft nail file thingy for manicure stuff in his kits along w/ the reed file. some folks like sanding wands. some hate them.
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MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name for info-
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FreeWilly
288 posts
Jul 24, 2012
12:48 PM
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Thanks MP.
On a side note: funny how you move around harps more freely as you grow into it and read about the subject. The first harp I had, I was told that one can never open it, because it will destroy the airtightness of the harp (we're not talking nails here: MS bluesharp..)! Than one starts cleaning/gapping. Than enough old harps are around to start messing with the other stuff. The harps really become intimate friend, as opposed to the fragile strange things they were to start out with.
The DIY tools make that all the more true. We know what a harp needs, and provide that with OUR means :)
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isaacullah
2092 posts
Jul 24, 2012
1:14 PM
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That's a great tip about the painter's tape, MP! Why didn't I ever think of that! :) So, that eliminates the need for the pliers (although they are handy for other stuff like pulling MB nails, and things) and the nail set. If you omit the set of the tape (who doesn't have some masking tape around?), that brings the cost of your tool set down to under $20 if you go with the cheap screwdrivers! Sweet!
@freewilly: also, if you don't have one of those little sanding wands, it's really hard to manouver the sand paper the way your need to. I've tried it, and it works, but for me it's a lot harder than using a file... BTW, I totally get what you mean in your second post! It's just a matter of experience and comfort. Eventually, you are no longer afraid of breaking your "baby" if you poke around under the hood!
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MP
2362 posts
Jul 24, 2012
1:47 PM
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hey Willy! yeah DIY is fun stuff after you get over the fear of destroying harps. i have little rubber thingys that are for sanding angles for serious woodwork. same principle as a sanding block but you
just wrap a small section of paper on the smallest rubber thingy (i have no idea what they are called)
i have sanding wands too. the problem with sandpaper
is getting at the reeds on the blow plate with the harp assembled.
i'm going to do a video soon on Tuning Caps from Hetrick. these are TOTALLY cool little caps that isolate reeds you are tuning without assembling the harp. i'm going to do a mod with two of these puppys so you can test octaves too.
with these caps you can use sanding wands easily and you can hide tuning marks if you feel like it. also, they are great if you aren't confident reaching in to an assembled harp with your draw scraper.
Isaac, yeah. masking tape works just as good as painters tape. it doesn't leave gummy residue either.
i leave little bits of tape an my anvil and re-use them
over and over again till the reed no longer adheres to them.
take care buddy, wish i knew about the grommet tool years ago.
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MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name for info-
Last Edited by on Jul 24, 2012 1:48 PM
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FreeWilly
290 posts
Jul 24, 2012
1:51 PM
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I'd wondered where they were for! I'll watch that for sure!
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MP
2364 posts
Jul 24, 2012
2:08 PM
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OH, i forgot. with the Tuning Caps you can check the draw plate with blowing like it was a blow plate.
i find i am more accurate when tuning by blow testing the draw plates. i have more control.
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MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name for info-
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isaacullah
2096 posts
Jul 25, 2012
9:46 AM
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Thanks MP!
I'm just bumping this thread one time in case some folks who might be interested didn't get a chance to see it!
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=========== I S A A C ===========
View my videos on YouTube!
Check out my songs on Soundcloud!
Visit my reverb nation page!
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MP
2365 posts
Jul 25, 2012
11:58 AM
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isaac,
good idea!
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MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name for info-
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bluzlvr
480 posts
Jul 25, 2012
1:09 PM
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@MP Did you get my email?
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myspace
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MP
2370 posts
Jul 25, 2012
1:18 PM
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hi bluzlvr!
no, i don't think so. markprados at aol dot com.
if your e-mail name is not bluzlvr, please identify
yourself as being from MBH. thanks
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MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name for info-
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bluzlvr
481 posts
Jul 25, 2012
1:31 PM
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@MP I just sent you another e-mail.
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myspace
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MP
2373 posts
Jul 25, 2012
2:13 PM
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hi bluzlvr!
yes, your first e-mail sent two days ago was in my Spam Folder. dunno how it got there. Sorry.
anyway, i sent you a general run down on stuff. i hope we can do business. see yah, Mark
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MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name for info-
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