The Making of an Anglo Concertina
This is a photo reportage of the making of the "traveler".
Specifications:
serial #: 0766
model: W-A2-drone, with french walnut raised ends,
long scale reeds
(steel tongues in individual brass frames),
domed metal keys/delrin®
cores
6 fold bellows
Layout: 30+1 key (drone) Jeffries C/G
Weight: 1.02 Kg / 2 lb. 4 oz.
Optionals: open fretwork, wide angle reed frames.
button height: 2mm (irish).
This is going to be the anglo concertina. The woods are cut
and sanded to the
required size/thickness.For this model we use French Walnut (bottom), Fichten
(spruce) from the Alps, Ayous, quarter cut european maple and hard maple.
The brass and steel needed for the action, reed frames and reeds.
This instrument is going to have wide angled reedframes. Because of that, it will get the open fretwork. The domed face plates will be exactly 3mm thick.
The piece of walnut just before the work starts....
The face plates, showing the "open" fretwork.
A better angle showing the raised or domed face plates.
Almost all the wooden parts are made, except for the reedpans, hand rails, and bellows guides.
Both ends, including bellows frames, are put together.
a close up of the end bolt inserts in the bellows frames.
The instrument is put together. The next step is veneering the sides of the frames.
Veneering the frames.
The ends are ready to be french polished. They have been sanded, mounted
on the 'polish handles', and the grain has been stabilized with a resin/ethanol
mixture.
This concludes the first part – the making of the ends and bellows frames- of this concertina. Although it is the most visible part of the instrument, it is by far the easiest and shortest project.
The age/quality of the wood and accuracy
of the work (we allow a maximum tolerance of 0.05mm/0.002” for our woodwork)
determines partly the overall quality of the instrument.
Every step of the process is checked by 2 people. Parts that do not meet our
standards end up in the fireplace…I can give pretty accurate burning times for
different parts like action boards, fretwork, complete ends….. about 5% of our
woodwork ends up in flames…