The steel used in free reed instruments is not the average type of steel. It is specially produced for this industry and has unique properties (flexibility, hardness, evenness, etc.).
the 'raw' material
the first step, cutting it to the appropriate width
Grinding the steel to the correct thickness.
We use 4 different basic
degrees of thickness in an anglo with long scale reeds. The grinding
accuracy is 0.01mm/0.00039". The final reed curve is filed by hand.
Newly cut reeds. Our reed cutting
machine is custom made. The
extreme accuracy of this machine guarantees perfect fitting reeds.
High accuracy comes at a price...one of these machines costs as
much as a nice car....at this moment we have 2 of these
machines in operation.
The newly made reedpans and deviders. In the
back ground
a completed set of reedpans, also for a 30 key anglo.
The end are finished, ready to be built up....
Time to finish the reedpans, bellows frames, and reed frames.
reedpans with dividers installed
bellows frames with bellows guide and blocks
reedpans in bellows frames (before chamois gaskets are installed)
Reed frame parts: frame, clamp and screws
reed frames assembled