Regarding durability...

[Dingo40]

Speaking of durability, some designs of accordion furniture appear to be more long lasting than others of the same feature.
Take the way the bellows are immobilised on various models of accordion, for example.
In my personal experience, there are at least four relatively common types:
• The plastic knob, mounted atop (or on the back) of the the treble box , which turns an axle attached to a pair of claws which (all working well ) engage corresponding lugs on the bass box, thus holding the bellows securely closed.
• The woven metal straps, top and bottom, permanently attached at one end to the treble board and operating via a press stud attached to the bass box, again holding the bellows securely closed.
• Metal wire catches, which operate similarly to the metal straps.
• Short straps made of leather, which work in the same way.
Now, all these designs work in their way, but which design works most effectively for the longest time?
In my personal experience, the plastic knob rotating clip is the least durable: perhaps 10 or 15 years. Eventually, the plastic knob breaks up or the claws no longer grip.
The metal straps are pretty good, but metal fatigue eventually causes the strap to part company with the metal ends holding the female bit of the stud ( and they are prone to rusting). Even so, with luck, they can continue to work well for upwards of 50 years!
The leather straps will also last upwards of 50 years, but do dry out and crack up with age.
The longest lasting and most durable appear to be the ones fashioned out of heavy wire: they will continue to do their job for 70+ years.
So that's my bit of accordion trivia for today!

 

[Tom]

Speaking of durability some designs of accordion furniture appear to be more long lasting than others of the same feature.
Take the ways the bellows are immobilised on various models of accordion, for example.
In my personal experience, there are at least four relatively common types:
• The plastic knob, mounted atop (or on the back) of the the treble box , which turns an axle attached to a pair of claws which (all working well ) engage corresponding lugs on the bass box, thus holding the bellows securely closed.
• The woven metal straps, top and bottom, permanently attached at one end to the treble board and operating via a press stud attached to the bass box, again holding the bellows securely closed.
• Metal wire catches, which operate similarly to the metal straps.
• Short straps made of leather, which work in the same way.
Now, all these designs work in their way, but which design works most effectively for the longest time?
I'm my personal experience, the plastic knob rotating clip is the least durable: perhaps 10 or 15 years. Eventually, the plastic knob breaks up or the claws no longer grip.
The metal straps are pretty good, but metal fatigue eventually causes the strap to part company with the metal ends holding the female bit of the stud ( and they are prone to rusting). Even so, with luck, they can continue to work well for upwards of 50 years!
The leather straps will also last upwards of 50 years, but do dry out and crack up with age.
The longest lasting and most durable appear to be the ones fashioned out of heavy wire: they will continue to do their job for 70+ years.
So that's my bit of accordion trivia for today!

Thanks for this interesting trivia, Dingo. Another factor is for the failure to be in the attachment of the leather, or metal straps to the accordion itself. For example, attached with a wood screw which strips out over time.

 

[debra]

A variation of the plastic knob rotating clip (as used in on the original Hohner Atlantic) is the one in the center of the grille that turns a "claw" that goes through a bracket on the largest bass block. This is used in the Hohner Morino M series. By itself it lasts a long time (the oldest I have seen was 61 years old and still going strong) but the way that bass block is held in place is a bit iffy (a bracket that overlaps the block by just 2mm and can let loose all too easily... (I have altered this to allow for a bit more overlap plus a nail to hold that bracket in place.)
The plastic knob mechanism as used on the Atlantic has also been going strong for over 50 years on the ones I have seen.

 

[petch]

My accordion has the most durable mechanism of all: nothing!

 

[Alan Sharkis]

I have experienced unraveling of the woven metal clips resulting in sharp wires that can puncture your fingers. If you have this type of closure, inspect it frequently and be careful with it.

 

[Ventura]

some scandalli's have the twister for the bellows clamp in the back

but NONE of these has the longevity of the Dingo

 

[Ffingers]

I posted this a while back:

Old much abused Scandelli

This old instrument was got for the sole purpose of tearing it apart for my edification. Note the rusted out chrome that Dingo40 refered to being typical of the damper discs. Its condition was appalling, even having grass and weeds trapped in the bellows folds. One peculiarity is the locking...

www.accordionists.info

 

[Dingo40]

Ffingers ,
The bellows immobiliser shown in your photos is much sturdier than many others, being of all metal construction . I like it!

 

[Ffingers]

...

Ffingers ,
The bellows immobiliser shown in your photos is much sturdier than many others, being of all metal construction . I like it!

...but poor handling of it wrecked the inside of the bellows!