Chromatic Warmer

[ilovedaisies]

Hello all!

So sorry to be gone so long.  I was so afraid of losing my membership!  First, I’d gotten sick which really set me back, and then I began to feel well enough that I found I had energy to devote to trying to get caught up on paperwork that’s been much neglected for the past two years.  About the only thing, harmonica-wise I’ve had time for was researching ballads (I’ve found favorite performers) and more music books (they’re wonderful to read), as well as watching You-Tube lessons on theory, etc...  But now that things are settling down just a bit, I wanted to share different warming ideas I’ve recently found.

Now that I’m seeing far enough down the road to think I’ll have time for this, thoughts have turned to portability and warming.  I have the hard, heated case that came with the Seydel Symphony, but really couldn’t see myself carting that thing all around.  I wanted something slimmer, hopefully with a shoulder strap.  I even thought about having Silver Wings make me up something custom.  (https://silverwingleather.com).  Then, not wanting to spend all that much, I found the most perfect baby bottle bag (insulated) with a divided center, and I experimented with it today, and it works perfectly.  Not the best quality bag, but for me it’s just the thing:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076CDPJCY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Then, it was on to finding something easy to carry and use for heating.  I bought some Body & Hand Super Warmer HotHands (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HBDJ8S4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) which would easily slide the the removable partition goes in this bag.  The bigger size is nice, because they last up to 18 hours, and I understand if you put them in a plastic bag and squeeze out all the air, they can be reused.  The extra hours and slim packaging makes them a truly viable option.

But get this.  I found other USB heaters, too, just as Seydel uses.  The difficult thing was finding something that was malleable enough so I could wrap it around the harp, when needed, and would otherwise fit into the second bottle slot for storage.  So many things were too big.  But the cigarette lighter plug that comes with the Seydel case made USB-types a really handy option.  Here are two finds, the first one is what I’m most excited about:

1.  USB Mouse Hand Warmer.  That’s right.  A muffler of sorts for your cold hands.  (Who knew folks got cold hands, using a mouse, though.). The greatest thing about this handwarmer is that it’s like a heating pad, but more flexible.  It’s a great size, and the heating element part is about 9” x 9”, and I can place my 14 hole harp in there, fold it all up, and plug the USB attachment into the Seydel adapter plug, and plug it into the wall.  How easy is that?

It got only so warm, when I tested it, this morning.  The 5V technology I found was the same as Seydel’s, though.  Seydel’s works, because you shut up the harp in the case.  So, I wrapped my Symphony up, like a hotdog in a bun, and placed it into the zippered-closed bag, and it got toasty warm.  Guys might not like this idea so much unless they get the dark gray Pipi bear bag.  But perhpas they’d have other ideas on how to use this mouse warmer.  Seems there are battery packs that keep these USBs going w/o electricity?  I’m sure you all know more about that....  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002DWSEHY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

2.  The second interesting thing I found is also USB, but more like heating pads.  Only, there’s a zipper on either end so it zips together, like a muffler.  They’re squishy and soft enough that I could stuff them into my 9.5” tall bag for transit.  And it heated up rather nicely, after a bit, even outside my bag, and I suppose it could keep your hands toasty, too.  (I’d have no problem squishing this inside, though, if I wanted, other than it’s bulkier than the first one.). This one had rather poor reviews, but I found three very similar ones, all rather inexpensive, deciding to give this one a try, first:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074QK16GJ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hope you find these different warming ideas helpful!  I just love my new, portable and light set-up!
Linda

[Scotty]

I'm a 'wee' bit delayed in responding to this, Linda. (lol) - was only now able to open the links - my computer freezes often when I try to open them so I give up and move on, often forgetting to return to check. SO, this morning as I searched on Ebay for something to help my wrist pain and stumbled upon 'the' singularly perfect device for my own particular problem: freezing hands while using my cordless mouse  something rang a bell so I looked for the most recent 'warmer' thread and there it was: the exact warmer I'd just found- in your post, hahaha. It IS perfect for me (once I'm able to post again (won't be able to use my right hand for a long time) - but hubby has a disconcerting habit of keeping the air conditioning on 'icy' during the Summer and likewise not warming the house sufficiently in the Winter for my painfully cold extremities. I'm sure being anemic and having arthritis has a lot to do with it as well, but it's too uncomfortable and creates clumsiness as well. The little 'tent' effect would be perfect for me --AND it seems just the ticket to warm a chromatic to body temps to prevent valve sticking.

Elizabeth (scotty)

[ilovedaisies]

Hi, Scotty!  Imagine us not having to ‘insert’ any long body of text’ before replying, and just do a back-and-forth exchange, instead!  A first!   

You know, when I posted this, I figured it’d either done it wrong, as I’d never started a thread before — OR everyone thought I was as crazy as a bedbug!     I think, at the time, I figured nobody had even read it.  So, how interesting that you thought you needed soemthing, like the mouse-warmer, and it was this exact thing... But how sad you had to do all your eBay research, and it was only after that that you’d had your ‘ah-ha!’ moment.  So, it’s very exciting to hear someone, indeed, had read this, and had tucked it away ‘till it rang this bell...

So.  Are you going to get one?  Please remember how I said, alone, it didn’t seem to quite warm the Symphony adequately.  It was only when it was enclosed in the bag that it really, really, really got warm; maybe even too warm.  Looking over their (purchaser’s) comments, though, I see that one person just laid a towel over it for further insulation.  It seemed they’d had the same experience, as I.  That might be a good idea.  Another mentioned using a heated keyboard.  A heated keyboard?     Who knew!

If it’s only when you’re typing that your hands and wrists are cold, that ‘singularly perfect’ hand-warming device just might do the trick.  But if you find yourself ever sitting in a chair — in a too cold house — and just tucking your hands into small places, hoping to warm them up, I’m not using the other ‘muffler’ I had in the posting.  Shoot me an email — in the little white envelope  — with your address, and the next time I’ll be anywhere near the post office, I’d be most happy to send it to you.  It’s just sitting around collecting dust.  I don’t think I’ll ever use it.  But it’s a toasty and cuddly little thing, and could be nice.  You’re welcome to it.  And I’d be a winner, too.  It’s just lying around.  And I’m a believer that things should be used...

Another option is this:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DO441JA/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_9?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1  Recently, I’d worked with a security guard at the hospital, where I volunteer, who’s since moved on.  And I’d saved this link.  But she had Reynaulds?     Her hands and feet were always freezing...  As you might be gathering by now, I’m quite the researcher.  So, when I had been looking for something to warm my harp and came upon those mitts, I’d had had to share that link.  I’d never seen or heard of that contraption, either.  But folks seemed to have high praises for them.

It’s good to hear you’re delayed in responding to things, too.  Scotty, I’ve been feeling hang-dog-bad for not responding to your next-to-last comments — with your advice — about not ‘coming out’ for awhile and having a hard time of things.  My journey ‘outward’ has been long and convoluted, too.  I understood!  And I SO wanted to care and respond, but that would be another tangent, and I’m sorry to say I’ve been up to my ears, these past few days, what with — after getting the harmonica research done — doing more research and buying:  luggage, overnighted, umbrella, portable chair, toiletry bags, etc., etc., etc., for a possible trip for the surgery the pathologist might have led me to having.  So, it fell by the wayside, and I said nothing.     Not the best or kindest thing, was it.  Anyway, I WILL get back to you on that, someday....     I just hope you don’t feel disrespected or not ‘heard’, and understand from this brief comment that I heard, and I do care...  My apologies.   :'(  I’ve just been totally overwhelmed, and staying up way, way, way past my bedtime, night after night, these past few days, hoping to try to get all the looking and shopping done.  But it’s been killing me.

So!  Good for you for finding something too warm those hands!  And you’re so very kind to share your joy in it.   

Linda

[Scotty]

That's SO nice..and it does look like something which might help my oh-so painful wrist. Appreciated! I'm a 'pay-it-forward' person too. Have been doing it for most of my life in fact (since before the 'movement' had a name, lol)--so I understand.

I didn't know you were in exactly my boat too. It's tough--I overdid it yesterday, took on far too much attempting to finish
some projects I can't possibly do during at least 3 months post-surgery, so am trying to pack that all into the next few days as well AND accumulate all of the things  (special pillows, products, etc) which I'll need. I DO love that today, youtube videos are out there by people having walked exactly in my shoes - and kind enough to want to alleviate some of the anxiety and share what worked for their lives. How nice of them!  I've learned a lot, so am quickly doing all that I can to catch up--so understand exactly. Please don't apologize for anything...I have so many great friends both here and outside. I'm simply panicking at
the thought of the very long journey on which I'm about to embark--will I be up to it? Can I handle that level of pain? I'm not so sure. It's not a 'one and done' thing at all and my energy is very low. Not being able to play, or type, or even play the online games I do to distract me from the pain will be difficult, so getting back use of my arm is a huge priority.

Next step --to acquire an enormous bunch of extremely interesting novels--preferably scary crime stories in which I can get lost for a while. 

Take care,
Elizabeth (scotty)

[ilovedaisies]

Got it.  But, gosh.  You’re having surgery, too?  Arm?  Hand?  I had no idea, Scotty.  I don’t want to pry.  Just please know I’m hear if you every want to talk, and need a shoulder (female) to cry on.  But I SO get YouTube folks, who’ve been there, understanding?  I’ve not searched on there, yet, for my malady.  It — like me    tee-hee — is rather rare.

I’d suggest talking books or videos, too, if you ever get tired of books.  I can lose myself in educational things and movies.  If I do do surgery, too, I’ll be out-of-the-loop for awhile, too.  I’m guessing.

I’ll be out Wednesday — tomorrow’s too busy with work — and I’ll plan on finding, packing and sending the muffler, then...  No worries over cost(s).  My treat.   

My heart and prayers are with you!  I can’t believe we’re both frantically shopping and preparing for almost the same thing.   

Whew!  I surrender!!!     I’m gonna put down the research for the night, and give up for a change.  Time for a too-too-too later supper and, maybe, even, watching the Bachelor!

Peace, dear lady...
Linda

PS  If you do get those heated gloves, take a look at the liner that I saw came with them.  The contraption might be for softening hands for hand-beauty things for use with creams?   But if not, those liners might soften the stiffness or awfulness of the plain hard plastic...

PPS  Please try not to panick...  It’s one day-at-a-time!  Ever look back over anything and say, now, why did I worry?  Worrying won’t make things better one iota, but it will cost you, physically.  Just trust, and pray (if you do).  It’ll all be good!

PPPS  Gosh.  Now, if I’d only known you played online games.  I can never find anyone to play with.  My husband would never play with me, because I’d always win!   

[Scotty]

Thank you. I DO like the look of the hand warmer 'mitts' even though they're ostensibly for keeping one's hands soft, I've noticed they come down past the wrists where most of my pain (thumbs and wrists) is the worst so not only would they help but might work for my harmonicas.

 I had a bone at the base of my left thumb chiseled out 3 years ago. HORRIBLE experience and the PT was long and drawn out--but, I'm right-handed so I was able to manage somewhat. In the interim I developed the same problems in my right hand and am fighting like mad to avoid having the same surgery on that hand even though I've been told it's my only option other than the blinding pain I live with daily (naturally, everything I do is affected). On top of that I fell hard over a month ago and tore my Rotator cuff (shoulder). MRI's confirmed the tear AND a lot of bursitis/arthritis which now requires surgical fixing...all on my right arm. The surgeon (my hand surgeon's son) actually suggested that I should consider a 'two-fer', getting both the wrist/thumb and shoulder done at the same time! When he saw the look of utter shock on my face he backed off. (Rotator cuff surgery is reputed to be 'the' singularly most painful to experience, orthopedically.) He's young, healthy -(went to school with my god-child) and I doubt has had an ache or pain in his entire life. He's just so 'happy', lol. I suspect has absolutely no real clue about the pain orthopedic patients deal with. On top of this I have a raft of 'other' orthopedic problems: neck, lower back -disk herniations. I also damaged the meniscus in my right knee when I fell but we're choosing to ignore that for the interim.

This is a Surgi-Center. Walk-in, and even walk to the OR under one's own steam. Getting onto the operating table 'might' require a modicum of help though --since now I have some difficulty in achieving that. Last time wasn't fun as they looked at me, I looked at them --I'm looking around for a stepstool (I'm tall but not so tall as to be able to leap up onto the table sans use of hands) so it's adding to my anxiety level. I'm usually able to handle anything but confess that all of this is causing some concern. Gut instinct has already told me to RUN! lol. 

Part of it's knowing that it'll be a good year+ before I'm even halfway to being remotely 'normal' again. I'm tired, having been through several of these 2-3 year recovery periods already. I need a vacation.

Elizabeth (scotty)

[OL PETE]

Living in Oz, we do not have a heating problem.
Its wot comes naturally.
Pete

[FastFourier]

I put mine in the microwave for 30 seconds.

[SlideMeister]

That sounds scary.

[Keith]

I put mine in the microwave for 30 seconds.

I didn't think you were supposed to put any metal in a microwave.........

[FastFourier]

Sorry, bad joke.  Will use heating pad.

[Gnarly He Man]

The man who creates a self warming chromatic harmonica will make dozens of dollars!

[SlideMeister]

Heck, I did that 20 years ago; just never built it.  In fact, I have a few different designs, both powered and non-powered. When someone actually produces one with the same, or even similar design, first, I'm gunna feel just terrible, and then ask: "What took ya so long?"  I'll just have the satisfaction (and even the drawings that I have around here somewhere) that I thought of it first. 

[Doug]

The man who creates a self warming chromatic harmonica will make dozens of dollars!

[Doug]

Heck, I did that 20 years ago; just never built it.  In fact, I have a few different designs, both powered and non-powered. When someone actually produces one with the same, or even similar design, first, I'm gunna feel just terrible, and then ask: "What took ya so long?"  I'll just have the satisfaction (and even the drawings that I have around here somewhere) that I thought of it first. 

AAAAAGE!!! What the...? C’mon man, that would be a game changer. Ya gotta get that self-warming thing going.

[SlideMeister]

I'm especially partial to the non-powered (non-electric) job. Ha ha! Yeah, I know, I'm rotten!    If my brother (the machinist) wouldn't have passed away, I might have actually had one for myself by now.

[smojoe]

I have purposely lain off this subject. It has come up in 2002,5,8,11,& 15. And most recently by A.J. in 2018. A BATTERY warmer is not practical. Think plumbing.
Electric is just like plumbing.
Amperage is the same as capacity. Think reservoir of water.
Voltage is like pressure. Think speed at which water exits a faucet.
Wattage is like usage. The amount of electricity you actually used.

Batteries have no where near the capacity needed. Think coffee cup as apposed to reservoir.
The voltage is insufficient to push electrons through the highly resistant ni-chrome or tungsten wire. The resistance will kill the battery in short order.
The amount of current that is drawn is outside the (practical) capacity of a battery. UnLESS it is awfully large. Like a studio sized video camera used by a t.v. station.
Conclusion? A small filament light bulb would work but the battery life is limited. Better to plug the warmer's wiring into a standard receptacle.
I once built such a box. BUT the man who wanted was wealthy and batteries were of no concern. A poor person would find the battery costs to be excruciating. 

smo-joe   

[SlideMeister]

I dunno Smoj!
I've got over an hour and a half out of three AAA rechargeable batteries on these "Fujiwara" heaters that I have. Sure they eat batteries, but that's why you use rechargeables. (I'm also sure a good Duracell or Energizer would last longer, but who can afford that? The heater has an option of using either 2 or 3 batteries. You really only need three batteries if it's really cold.

Demo With an Easttop Black and Gold 64


and demo with a CX-12 Gold


Getting these things is still the trick cuz he's kinda under contract to sell through that distributor in Japan. The CX-12 still needs some minor bugs worked out but without a garage and tools, I haven't been able to try some mods I came up with that I intend to share with Mr. Fujiwara.  Again, I have no financial affiliation with the man; I just think it's as viable a product as I've seen so far.

[smojoe]

I dunno Age. 2 1/2 hours from an $8.63 battery (Eu 7.57) and then buying two and they don't last forever? It hurts my eyes. IOW I can't see it. 
For that amount I can get 30 days on my 'trac' phone.
s.j.

[SlideMeister]

Nah, I wouldn't use regular batteries on a bet! I use cheap charge-em-ups that I got on ebay for 25 cents each, which makes using the heater basically free. 

[SlideMeister]

So far, the best rechargeable AA's I've tried are the Panasonics Mr. Fugiwara sent me with the heater.

[Jp]

You guys are talking batteries, but I see a cable on this thing in the video. or is that something else? And why not use a rechargeable battery, like used in phones, watches, etc?

[SlideMeister]

Nah, the cable is what goes to the battery pack.

[Jp]

ah. unexpected. would be nice if the battery were small enough to fit in the box, or on the end. more portable. great idea though. already dealing with the warming issue here in MI.

[Gnarly He Man]

Try powering with unobtainium

[SlideMeister]

Yeah, it would be cool if the battery was a rechargeable lithium type, (if there is any such critter) that also mounted to the back of the instrument.

[sue]

Hello Age,
I read (and watched) what you have posted about the Japanese warming device with great interest!  I just wanted to add my name to the list of people who would like to participate in a group order, or to be sure to get info about how to procure one, if ever that becomes possible.  Keeping the harp under my arm does usually work, but I find it very constraining in terms of wardrobe (outside of the shirt absolutely not an option - it must be in contact with me!) and I don't like the way all that coming and going from under my arm looks, especially if it gets caught on video.  I would love to have another option that didn't involve having to put the harp down onto something warm - I really feel like I need to keep it in my hands to be ready to jump in.  (I play in a Gypsy swing combo)

Scotty, I relate your laments about lower body temperature.  It is not an advantage when it comes to this line of "work"!!

[SlideMeister]

If you guys who want one of these want to get together, contact me and I'll put you in touch with the man who makes them. Maybe something has changed since last year so you can order them from him instead of that mail order music store.

[Edward Brock]

Maybe what you need is a very tiny solar panel that sits on your hat
that keeps the batteries charged. 

[stan_in_usa]

The Beatles had it all wrong. They had a song, Happiness Is A Warm Gun. I think all of us can agree happiness is actually a warm harmonica.