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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Bent Cover Plaites
Bent Cover Plaites
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woodnacho
16 posts
Sep 12, 2019
9:07 AM
Anyone here have a solution to bent cover plates? I always end up dropping my harps at gigs and the resulting bent cover plate usually means there is a small gap between the coverplate and the comb. In the past I have tried to bend them back with my hands but this often makes it worse. Is there a tool or technique that works for you? These small air gaps are terrible, any tips would be greatly appreciated.

I should probably hold onto my harps a little tighter :P
nacoran
10168 posts
Sep 12, 2019
3:13 PM
I've used needle nose pliers very gently to bend the front edge a little bit. A seemer might work better. (I just got a pair recently to open up the back covers and it works very well).

In an ideal world I plan on cutting the seemer down to size a little bit... it's just a hair to long to fit into the back of the cover plate in one go, and maybe dip it in nylon coating to prevent scratching, although it didn't really seem to do to bad.

As for the small gaps, I've seen at least a couple harps that seem to use a daub of solder sanded down in the gap where the top and side folds meet. You'd have to make sure it was food safe solder but that might be the cleanest overall solution. If you do it on the inside of the corner I think you could get the cleanest look and feel. It's not something I've done personally, but I've considered it a few times.

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ROBERT TEMPLE II
84 posts
Sep 13, 2019
3:41 AM
Yeah, you CAN try to seal it from the inside of the cover[s] with maybe a bit of Blue Tac putty or tape. Youcan put tape on the edge of the coverplate at the area where the leak is. Not ideal but it Might work. You can buy replacement coverplates for many models/brands at rockinrons. Or, maybe try covers froma cheapo harp from your local music store's variety rack that usually has kazoos on the same rack, cheap, might fit. I've made several "Frankenharps" using parts form different sources. Check around, you may get lucky.
barbequebob
3612 posts
Sep 13, 2019
8:25 AM
@ woodnacho -- Holding your harps tigther is absolutely THE WRONG THING TO DO!!!! Why?? That's where 95% of the problem with having bent cover plates com from and that is a FACT!!!
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Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
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SuperBee
6163 posts
Sep 13, 2019
4:28 PM
Pressure and counter-pressure, carefully applied.
No doubt there are plenty of specific ways you could go. I use a block of wood to brace the cover. Wood is nice because you can easily give it some shape to help you once you work out what you need. But just a flat surface might be all you need anyway.
Some tool to help you apply pressure. A socket on a driver handle might be ok, or a rounded edge on something like a small ex-chisel or broad bladed screwdriver.
But I’ve used like a small coin to get started too.
If things are really out of shape then you might need to use some pliers to move some stuff. I have found seamers to be useful but some are too wide to be used on all covers.

If it’s dropping the harps which is causing damage, that’s one thing I suppose but if it’s actually squeezing them as BBQ mentioned, that’s another thing and far more common problem.
With a bit of planning and some simple tools and parts you can probably modify your harps to prevent this.

What type of harp are you working with?
SuperBee
6164 posts
Sep 13, 2019
4:31 PM
Oh also, when you mentioned ‘these small air gaps are terrible’ I’m assuming you mean the cover plates not sitting flush to the reedplates/comb structure, rather than the gaps in the corners of the covers etc

Last Edited by SuperBee on Sep 13, 2019 4:33 PM
Thievin' Heathen
1160 posts
Sep 13, 2019
10:47 PM
I sometimes take a piece of medical tape, about 4" long (or precisely the length of the cover plate), cut it in half lengthwise, then tape it/fold it over the inside to the outside of the cover plates, put the cover plates on the harp, tighten everything down good & straight, then roll the tape up & off the outside of the cover plates and run an Exacto Knife down the reed plate cutting off the outside tape. Voila, gasket.
BnT
248 posts
Sep 15, 2019
12:14 AM
This won't resolve the leak - you have lots of advice, but wanted to help you avoid future bent cover plate issues. I bought some cover plates from Tom at Blue Moon Harmonicas and he provided support braces that go through the comb, supporting the cover plates. It reduces the chance of bending the cover plates whether due to my crushing grip...or dropping them when the arthritis in the hand gets too painful. I now have to those in most of my harps.
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BnT
www.BluesWithAFeelin.com
Caitlin P
6 posts
Sep 15, 2019
12:42 AM
BnT- are the braces on his site somewhere?
BnT
249 posts
Sep 16, 2019
11:33 PM
Caitlin,
I have not seen them as a listed product. He just sent some along with the Manji covers I bought. You might contact him to see if he sells them. He said he provided them because Manji covers were among those prone to bending. I never experienced the problem in the 5+ years since I switched over. But now I'm glad to have them in case I drop one or it's involved in a hit & run with an amplifier. Kind of like the insurance you get in hopes of never needing.
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BnT
www.BluesWithAFeelin.com
SuperBee
6173 posts
Sep 17, 2019
1:15 AM
Did you buy combs as well, BnT?

I have a BMH aluminium comb here on a Sp20, and it is tapped to accept a screw-in post (aka a bolt) to support the covers.

Deak drills out the combs and plates of his builds to take 3 long bolts which act as cover supports; the one in the middle goes one way, the flankers go the other.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0ZMZ9tPCI1FZhBsy_CYWJfL7A

I’ve seen a variation on the idea which is just a long bolt with a nut either side to keep it in place. That’s about the simplest idea as it does not even need a tap

Last Edited by SuperBee on Sep 17, 2019 7:50 AM
DanP
421 posts
Sep 21, 2019
4:35 PM
One thing I learned is to always use a hard-shell carrying case for a set of current Marine Band 1896 models and never a soft case. I guess the same for the Suzuki Manji. The pre-war 1896 Marine Bands have much sturdier cover plates and I don't understand why Hohner bent the covers out (rather than folded in like the pre-war models) and did not put a support post in when they made the covers thinner. The Marine Band Deluxe solved both of those problems but as most of you know, Hohner stopped distributing the Deluxe in the USA.

Last Edited by DanP on Sep 21, 2019 9:00 PM
BnT
252 posts
Sep 21, 2019
11:37 PM
SuperBee,
I did not buy Combs. The threaded post fits an existing hole through the stock Manji comb.
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BnT
www.BluesWithAFeelin.com
SuperBee
6183 posts
Sep 22, 2019
3:19 AM
Thanks, BnT. I was trying to imagine it but it’s quite a while since I saw a Manji.


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