The master of waxing!

Day 33.

Today at the workshop I started by completing Stefano's job from yesterday - pinning reeds in place on reed blocks. Some accordion manufacturers prefer(-red) to secure reeds in place using four pins, rather than wax. Fratelli Crosio often used this method. Once that was done I added reinforcing springs to valves before re-pinning the reeds down. The 'springs' are thin pieces of metal attached with glue to the top of the valves, to regulate the opening of the reed. After this I went back to sorting the tuning of the diatonic accordion for the Mexican market. Using a soldering iron I had to heat up reeds to melt the wax so they came away from the reed blocks easily and cleanly. A few of them then had to be placed elsewhere on the reed block. Some of the shorter reeds needed a little piece of wood at one end because their new slot was too long. Claudio congratulated me on using my brain and my judgement on which reeds needed wood. He said I'm starting to think in the right way. To apply the reeds we used the quick method of waxing: melting a lump of wax on a hot soldering iron and running the wax along the sides of the reed tablets. We agreed that I'm a master of waxing! Although only when it comes to accordions!!
I received post this morning - a parcel arrived at the shop, addressed to me, containing DVDs Dad had sent over. How exciting! It confused Claudio no end!
Soon lunchtime came and, after a lunch of focaccia and salami, I went for a walk to the gelateria. I thought it best to make the most of a sunny day in the middle of a week of fairly grim weather.
Back at work in the afternoon, I finished the waxing before Claudio and I set about sorting the replacement reeds for the Mexican tuning. We got very confused with this unusual tuning and had to solder tin to some reeds to change their tuning, while we had to file some others down. I then applied valves to them, so they're ready to be waxed in place tomorrow.
I made a cracking dinner of tomato & mushroom sauce with pasta, before heading next door to watch the football. I'm now absolutely whacked and definitely ready for bed.

Buondì x