Paul, problem solved! It was two valves sticking on the walls of the block, as you mentioned. I did what you suggested, with a light, etc. I took my tool, a very thin rounded and polished trowel-shaped painting knife and gently prodded the offending valves which were dragging on one side and could sense the release. All good since! Mahalo nui nui loa! Speaking of painting, I finished this two weeks ago, awaiting a frame:
Thank you all. I had become so frustrated that I no longer wanted to play this instrument. But thanks to your priceless help, I am back liking my Hohner Bravo. You have my admiration and appreciation.
Accordion repair is often detective work. It can be frustrating. Some defects turn out to be very rare, but some are so common that you start recognizing them fast. Valves that touch one of the walls of the resonance chamber are among the more common problems. I think that in about half of the cases I found it was a manufacturing defect (thus not caused by a sloppy repair but by the factory) and it happens with even the most reputable accordion brands.
My dad always said the quality of that which is hidden is the best indicator of integrity. The interior of my daughter’s friend’s grandfather’s little Pigini from the fifties was a work of art: engine-turned aluminum, woodwork like fine furniture. I had bought it and on moving here gave it back to his family. It had zero problems after a half century. When I first bought my Bravo, new, in 2013, a reed stopped. I opened it to find sawdust crumbs. The outside is flawless. Poor rural Chinese move to cities to work in factories and perhaps do their best, I don’t know. But who made the Pigini cared. But, as you said, anything made by people can have flaws. Then smart people like you compensate. You have my respect.
Just when I thought it was safe to go back into the water…and bad-mouthing China, I awoke to find D5 on Push had the stuck valve again, which eventually unstuck itself, so Professor De Bra, another thing to put into your classic Dutch clay pipe and ponder. First, only the plastic-valved Bravo is affected, not the leather equipped ones. Second, an inexpensive fake leather strap I bought is crumbling, as did a nice expanded vinyl recliner we bought a while back. Our leather furniture is doing well. My current guess is that the plastic valves stick to the aluminum due to humidity and warmth. What do you think? Could I put some kind of desiccant packet in the gig-bag? Oh, yes, the velvet inside the case for the Marchesa is turning to fine green dust, so I bought some new velvet to reline it. But that’s another story. Aloha, Richard
Hard to say exactly, but a common problem is that some residu of the wax gets on the valve or the reed plate when it is waxed in. In this case my money would be on the valve as it has been rubbing the side or end wall of the resonance chamber. Plastic valves stick to the reed plate much more easily than leather ones, mainly because there is less mass to move and their surface is smooth. Humidity should have little effect on a pure aluminium reed plate and pure plastic valve, but when there is some (not even visible) amount of wax involved it may stick. One of my constant worries while working on an accordion (doing tuning mostly) is to prevent any wax from getting on my tools (pinger, file, scratcher...) because that wax would easily transfer to a reed plate, reed or valve. While working I go through a lot of paper towel and benzine to keep everything clean.
Just when I thought it was safe to go back into the water…and bad-mouthing China, I awoke to find D5 on Push had the stuck valve again, which eventually unstuck itself, so Professor De Bra, another thing to put into your classic Dutch clay pipe and ponder. First, only the plastic-valved Bravo is affected, not the leather equipped ones. Second, an inexpensive fake leather strap I bought is crumbling, as did a nice expanded vinyl recliner we bought a while back. Our leather furniture is doing well. My current guess is that the plastic valves stick to the aluminum due to humidity and warmth. What do you think? Could I put some kind of desiccant packet in the gig-bag? Oh, yes, the velvet inside the case for the Marchesa is turning to fine green dust, so I bought some new velvet to reline it. But that’s another story. Aloha, Richard
Thank you. Non-accordion tasks today, but will remember your admonition on cleanliness. Mahalo.
One final thought: human skin oils. The same Bravo also had severe sticking of the synthetic bass strap to the painted aluminum bass cover, so bad the paint came off. I stripped it and covered it with some high gloss black self adhesive material. In fact all the the household stickiness was synthetic material touched frequently by people. Leather absorbs, but plastic does not. The Hohner factory in China may not have been as careful as you are regarding contamination. Bye.
I spent several hours over two days on this project. Can hardly move. I heard that alcohol is a good degreaser. My mouth is now grease-free.
Benzine is better as a degreaser, just not for your mouth...
Unless you are a carburetor.
And you spelled carburettor properly! Stupid spell-correct changed mine. Same old gasoline anyway. Back when carbs were in cars, not beer.In some countries petrol is called "benzine": just the thing for carburettors
The term "benzine" was not used here as that for the "gas" we put in petrol cars. (In Dutch the word "benzine" is that for what we put in a car.)Unless you are a carburetor.
I should have spent more time studying my organic chem. Thank you for the enlightenment. Fascinating.
