Sticky bass button

[James]

I found a button sticky on my accordion. When I released the button they sound was still going for a while and then it stopped. I opened up the bass machine cover and found some of the levers did not go back to their normal positions after the button was released (as shown in the picture). Those levers are attached to one rod. It seemed to me the only possible location where sticky friction occurs are where the rods meet parallel against one another and at the ends. To clean up the rods of the grease, it seems to me I have to take apart bass machine.

Any advice, please?

 

[colinm]

Read accordion revival, it covers this in depth,then come back with specific queries
Cm

 

[JIM D.]

Good response Colin - you beat me to it !
Echo's my advise - :tup:

 

[James]

Colin and Jim,

Thank you both. Ok, I went to Accordion Revival. I have always browsed it for fun. Now, I am taking apart the bass machine, to pieces. It did not seem too terrible a job up to now. The pistons were a little greasy and dirty. This I guess could explain why the levers in question felt sticky--a little grease on the points where pistons and levers meet add up to a lot of friction. I hope I can get the job done ok.

 

[JIM D.]

I see you have read --
http://www.accordionrevival.com/ACCORDION_REPAIR_2.php#Disassembling_a_bass_machine--
But if you do not replace the pistons on the same original order - well read paragraphs 29 to 32 -- your in trouble.
None of those pistons are the same, and have to be replaced in the order they were removed.
BE CAREFULL !! Wish you luck :tup:

 

[James]

Yes, Jim, thanks. I have drawn matrix on the box with 120 positions for each of the pistons. They correspond to the positions of the box. Yeah, I am going very careful. Next, I will clean each of the pistons. I wonder why they are greasy. Not very greasy but greasy.

 

[JIM D.]

That's the original lube. Over time it has thickened. Clean the pistons with WD-40 and re-assemble.

 

[James]

Do I then also lube them at all?

 

[JIM D.]

The WD-40 will not only clean them, but leave a proper coat of fine petroleum to lube & prevent the aluminum pistons from oxidizing.
You also just might use VM&P Naptha to clean the pistons and spray them with WD-40 and re-assemble. --
https://www.amazon.com/VM-NAPTHA-KL...F8&qid=1502774357&sr=8-1&keywords=vm&p+naptha

Now you have removed the pistons but the pipes have the same old lube, so you may not have to remove them, but a bit of WD-40 on each end of the pipes should free them up.

 

[James]

Jim,

I have survived the job. I removed the pipes as well. Cleaned everything and put everything back. Made one mistake half way and went back and redid. Everything is good now {} . Very time consuming but fun to do. Thank you!

James

 

[JIM D.]

:b "Congratulations" :b
Very few even attempt to dis-assemble and re-assemble a bass machine. :tup:
And even less do it successfully. :roll:
Should consider part time accordion repair. {}

 

[colinm]

Very brave to tackle the pipes James, my problem was a residue on the bottom of the pistons where they entered the wood guides, so I did not touch the pipes, difficult to get the bass pistons back also
cm

 

[James]

Hey Jim and Colinm,

Yes, this is the first time I worked on a bass machine. I had hoped to find a simpler way to fix the problem. But it turned out I got fun doing this.

I enjoy doing repairs. I have worked on many items: mechanical mantel clocks, manual typewriters, mechanical cameras, ... . I have a small collection of mantel clocks, typewriters, cameras, etc. A couple of weeks ago, I replaced the valve cover gaskets and spark plugs in my Subaru Legacy. Years ago, I opened up a wall in my house and built a window into it.

Now I have tried a bass machine.

James

 

[jollyrogeraccordions]

Well done. I love bass machines

 

[artelagro]

Hi James. The best tip I received was 'TAKE PLENTY PHOTOGRAPHS'. In this digital age they cost nothing.
Ca canny
Garth

 

[James]

Well done. I love bass machines

Thank you!

 

[James]

Hi James. The best tip I received was TAKE PLENTY PHOTOGRAPHS. In this digital age they cost nothing.
Ca canny
Garth

Yes! You said it! When in doubt you can always refer back to your photos.

 

[James]

I cleaned the bass machine of my Hohner Camillo yesterday. That was much easier. The whole could be taken out as one unit.

 

[JerryPH]

A far different system from the one in my Hohner Morino... with 185 bass buttons, each rod had to be taken out individually. For my repair lady (who was very good), she said it was the most intense and time consuming work she ever did on any other accordion in all her years.

A picture of a part of her work:
http://syner-g.asuscomm.com/mymusic/files/bass.jpg>

 

[James]

She didn't place the rods in cell containers? Thumb up! Yours is a bigger box that has 185 basses. That costs more time and effort. Mine is a 120.