nacoran
6214 posts
Nov 21, 2012
4:45 PM
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So I Googled concrete harmonica comb, and to my surprise, a couple references popped up, but only referring to testing sounds of different materials on the tone of harmonicas.
That said, how would concrete hold up as a material? Anyone know anything about types of cement/concrete and their durability? I ask because I finally have a little money to buy a couple combs, and I have an idea for a harmonica that could actually benefit from a cinder block look. (If someone has a product that would look like cinder blocks let me know, I don't want to reinvent the wheel). What I sort of want is the comb to look like it's made out of a tiny cinder block wall.
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Nate
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HarveyHarp
395 posts
Nov 21, 2012
5:53 PM
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One Word. Paint.
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HarveyHarp
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rbeetsme
924 posts
Nov 21, 2012
7:21 PM
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Why?
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laurent2015
549 posts
Nov 21, 2012
8:02 PM
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Comb back on earth.
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nacoran
6215 posts
Nov 21, 2012
10:51 PM
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Okay, here is the concept- I want a 'prison' harp, sort of a play on the old guy sitting in the jail cell, only I want it to be a little more hard (harp) core. I want the comb to be like a cinder block wall, with really tiny cinder blocks. In the gap on the back I was going to try to rig up something that looked like barbed wire. (I was thinking that if I took key rings and cut them in half and embeded them into the back of the comb in a staggered fashion they could look sort of like the start of a wire top, (although I'd need to softly 'barb' them), while maybe also providing some crush protection. Graffiti scrawled (very very tiny) on the back of the harp. I was thinking doing the front up like prison bars. It was just an idea I had for a flashy harp.
I also want a harp that looks like a candy bar. I've mentioned that idea for a couple years, but I finally have a little extra cash for crafting supplies. (Although maybe I could get one of Tom's harp stickers to make that project easy).
I also want an all black and brass harp, with a see through comb. (I had an acrylic comb, but it cracked. I don't think acrylic is strong enough for MB holes. The one hole is just too close to the edge, but another model might serve the purpose.) I guess I should talk to one of the guys who does cover coating too. I wonder if they could do tie dye or wavy patterns.
Or a clear comb with fiber optic wire floating through it... if you could leave a piece on the end exposed you could run light into it and have a pretty cool looking harp. I've also discovered that semi-transparent sparkly plastic does some funny things when you shine a laser through it.
I've been helping a friend with craft projects and it's reminding me that I really enjoy doing that sort of stuff.
edit- and everyone else seems to have the other harp modifying ideas all covered! My brother made me a chain mail single harp belt case. I love it, but I've already thought of 50 ways to make it better.
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Nate
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Last Edited by on Nov 21, 2012 10:54 PM
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Steamrollin Stan
619 posts
Nov 21, 2012
11:54 PM
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Dont matter how much customizing, reed tweeking, and all the stuff that tech guys do, if you aint got the feeling then you can't play the blues, (S.S., Nov, 2012)
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messy ventura
33 posts
Nov 22, 2012
8:18 AM
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As an airbrush hobbyist I've been tinkering around with some ideas. I'm leaning toward doing cover plates . There's just not much room for art/graphics on the comb.I can achieve a granite effect fairly easy. I have seen 23 skulls airbrushed in the space of a dime by a guy named Robert Benedict. You've got some pretty creative ideas. I like the candy bar. How 'bout a "Mudcat Ruth" using the Baby Ruth wrapper design. That'd be a fun one.
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Greg Heumann
1850 posts
Nov 22, 2012
1:57 PM
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I ain't no engineer, but .....
concrete is an aggregate with small stones in it. Concrete is strong in compression but terrible in tension - which is why concrete structures have re-bar in them. The combination is very strong. I think you'd find at harmonica comb scale, the concrete would be very brittle, and very difficult to achieve a flat, void-less finish good enough to seal well without having to coat it with something. I think Messy's idea of a "faux" finish on a better comb material makes more sense.
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/Greg
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nacoran
6217 posts
Nov 22, 2012
3:53 PM
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I've talked to a couple people offline and gotten similar feedback to what Greg said.
Messy, I wonder with airbrushing, (I think my brother has an airbrush), on a metal surface, how well it would stick and what you might do to make it more durable. Obviously, they airbrush special paint jobs on vans and motorcycles, so there have to be some fairly durable techniques out there. I'm not a great free hand artist, but I might be able to work up some stencils. In that vein, Tom Halchak has made some batches of vinyl stickers to go on harps. I don't know if he has an easy way to design your own.
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Nate
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Last Edited by on Nov 22, 2012 3:56 PM
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STME58
295 posts
Nov 22, 2012
3:53 PM
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I am an engineer. What Greg said about concrete is right on. I think it might work better than Greg expects if you have the right tools to process it.
In a harmonica the stresses are low (unless you drop it) so the brittleness will not be much of a problem. The reed plates will carry the compression; the concrete will be in tension keeping the reed plates separated. What you described is more of a craft project than an engineering one. Concrete can be smoothed to a glass like finish either by smoothing it with a wet trowel before it cures or by grinding and polishing it like a stone. Cutting a comb with a tile saw would be possible but I expect you would break a good many before you got the process down. When you polish the edges of the concrete you may get a very interesting look depending on what stones are in the aggregate.
Molding one with a form cut from 1/4" ply on a jig saw might work, sandwich this in glass plates and you will get a smooth flat surface if you can figure out how to get it full with no voids. Use Portland cement and fine sand, like mortar. It is not uncommon to produce a custom concrete counter top using forms. You would just be working on a much smaller scale.
I think you are in the realm of possibility on this if you have the skill, equipment, time and patience to make it work. Otherwise, go with Messy's idea. You could even photograph a block wall, scale it appropriately, and print it on a decal to be applied to the comb. If there is a model railroad club in your area you could probably find someone with the skill to paint a convincing looking miniature brick wall.
Last Edited by on Nov 22, 2012 3:58 PM
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florida-trader
208 posts
Nov 23, 2012
9:27 AM
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I'll try to keep this short.
Nathan - Clear acrylic. I have have never heard of or experienced the problem with cracking you described. Contact me off list and I will be happy to send you a couple of crystal clear acrylic combs gratis.
Greg. Concrete has an aggregate mixed in, but cement is just the binding agent which could be polished smooth. We've all walked on polished concrete floors. That's not to day it could easily be used to make combs, but the aggregate would not be an issue. (I just noticed what STME58 said. I agree with him.)
With regard to air brushed covers. I had some done by a local airbrush artist and they turned out OK. If you are only going to do one set of cover plates then airbrushing might be the way to go. I assume that the cost would be consistent with the amount of detail you want. More detail = higher cost.
I decided to go with the skinz because using graphics software it is far easier to create literally any image you want. There is a cost associated with setting up the artwork and template so it only makes sense to produce them in quantity. That's why I say if you are going to make only one, airbrushing might be the way to go.
We could do a candy bar skinz but I don't want to violate any copyrights, so it would have to be some sort of an original design. We could also do a vinyl brick pattern, but once again, it only makes sense if you're going to make a bunch of them. All this does is illustrate the difference between making a one-off kind of item and a commercially viable product. It is all in the numbers.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Last Edited by on Nov 23, 2012 9:29 AM
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nacoran
6222 posts
Nov 23, 2012
11:20 AM
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The acrylic I had only cracked right by the one screw hole on the plate (on the MB's where it's right by the end of the reed slot). Anyway, I just placed an order on your site for some harp parts. I haven't treated myself in a while. :)
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Nate
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