Paint on Slide

[Ed McCullough]

I adjust the thickness of my slide by using an aerosol can of paint, and adding extremely thin layers of paint. Put some paint on, let it dry, put some paint on let it dry. Reassemble the harmonica and see if there is any friction when you move the slide. Keep adding paint and checking for friction. When you find some high spots of paint on the slide, sand them with 400 or 1000 sandpaper. Add paint to other areas of the slide. That is a general idea.
-. A wrote that he could not get paint to stay on the slide. I always first wash the slide with detergent and water. Then I use isopropyl alcohol.
-. If you will pay for a round trip ticket on Amtrak between Houston and Cleveland, I will visit you and paint your slides for you.

[Age]

If you will pay for a round trip ticket on Amtrak between Houston and Cleveland, I will visit you and paint your slides for you.

Whatta guy!
Too bad I can't even afford to pat attention.
I like all my axes "tight as a bugs ear" so don't worry, I won't give up.

[Gene Oh]

I use the EastTop Forerunner (version 2.0) daily. The only issue I have with this product is that the clicking sound of the slide is also picked up when recording. I recall that somebody somewhere on this site suggested using a vaseline. I tried it but it doesn't greatly solve the problem. Any better idea?

Gene from NZ

[Age]

Depends o what's doing the clicking. There a few different causes on "clicking."
Bumpers (that are actually perfectly sized) are more important than most realize, and many folks replace them with who knows what, thinking they did a good job, then wonder why it still makes noise. I mentioned this in a post a while back, but in my experience, the bumpers have to be hand cut to the perfect size. Most are too short. This happens after we make them too long, causing them to bind everything up, so we cut them again but this time they're too short. (tell me you never did that. I dare you.)

Bumpers should actually compress a bit when the mouthpiece is tightened. There's where the magic happens (or not). When done right, they actually help alleviate side-to-side slop as well to keep the edges of the slide from hitting the edge of the slide channel.  There's also "slide edge peening," but I'd only do that as a last stop.

Then these's good old fashion "button click," which is just the metal button clicking against the edge of the mouthpiece. This is easily remedied with some rubber insulating tape like this. A lotta times, THIS was the whole problem, just overlooked.

Clickety Clack!

[Gene Oh]

Depends o what's doing the clicking. There a few different causes on "clicking."
Bumpers (that are actually perfectly sized) are more important than most realize, and many folks replace them with who knows what, thinking they did a good job, then wonder why it still makes noise. I mentioned this in a post a while back, but in my experience, the bumpers have to be hand cut to the perfect size. Most are too short. This happens after we make them too long, causing them to bind everything up, so we cut them again but this time they're too short. (tell me you never did that. I dare you.)

Bumpers should actually compress a bit when the mouthpiece is tightened. There's where the magic happens (or not). When done right, they actually help alleviate side-to-side slop as well to keep the edges of the slide from hitting the edge of the slide channel.  There's also "slide edge peening," but I'd only do that as a last stop.

Then these's good old fashion "button click," which is just the metal button clicking against the edge of the mouthpiece. This is easily remedied with some rubber insulating tape like this. A lotta times, THIS was the whole problem, just overlooked.

Clickety Clack!

----
Many thanks, Age, for sharing your experiences with this issue. I have  tried your second mothod, and it seems to work. The noise from the  slide has reduced a lot after putting a piece of tape underneath the mouth piece.

Gene

[blowharp]

I adjust the thickness of my slide by using an aerosol can of paint, and adding extremely thin layers of paint. Put some paint on, let it dry, put some paint on let it dry. Reassemble the harmonica and see if there is any friction when you move the slide. Keep adding paint and checking for friction. When you find some high spots of paint on the slide, sand them with 400 or 1000 sandpaper. Add paint to other areas of the slide. That is a general idea.
-. A wrote that he could not get paint to stay on the slide. I always first wash the slide with detergent and water. Then I use isopropyl alcohol.
-. If you will pay for a round trip ticket on Amtrak between Houston and Cleveland, I will visit you and paint your slides for you.

Shows the difference between someone that is a metal finisher and one that is not.    Most players would use an additive method to control leaks by adding tape, paint or sealants. I go in and sand, buff or file so the gap closes naturally and the parts are reduced to a .001 gap or less.  Been doing this for years for customers as a regular service for every chromatic that I work on. I don't consider it a custom service.

BTW, now that I'm retired from my day job I may finally make it to SPAH this year.  Been 23 years since I was at my last one. Looking to do a clinic or be part of the teach in.   Hope to see some of you there if I make it.

Mike Easton

[The Lone Harper]

I adjust the thickness of my slide by using an aerosol can of paint, and adding extremely thin layers of paint. Put some paint on, let it dry, put some paint on let it dry. Reassemble the harmonica and see if there is any friction when you move the slide. Keep adding paint and checking for friction. When you find some high spots of paint on the slide, sand them with 400 or 1000 sandpaper. Add paint to other areas of the slide. That is a general idea.
-. A wrote that he could not get paint to stay on the slide. I always first wash the slide with detergent and water. Then I use isopropyl alcohol.
-. If you will pay for a round trip ticket on Amtrak between Houston and Cleveland, I will visit you and paint your slides for you.

Shows the difference between someone that is a metal finisher and one that is not.    Most players would use an additive method to control leaks by adding tape, paint or sealants. I go in and sand, buff or file so the gap closes naturally and the parts are reduced to a .001 gap or less.  Been doing this for years for customers as a regular service for every chromatic that I work on. I don't consider it a custom service.

BTW, now that I'm retired from my day job I may finally make it to SPAH this year.  Been 23 years since I was at my last one. Looking to do a clinic or be part of the teach in.   Hope to see some of you there if I make it.

Mike Easton

I really appreciate the insights that Mike shares here and on various Facebook forums. There is a lot to be said about sharing knowledge that has been accumulated over the years as opposed to those of us that are quite isolated from other harmonica technicians having to reinvent the wheel. Thankfully the internet has given everyone access to a wealth of information regarding customizing and maintaining harmonicas but I am sure that there are many fine points the amature novice such as myself can still learn. Swedish wunderkind Joel Anderson has an excellent Patreon site where he regularly puts out videos sharing his wealth of knowledge. Mike makes an interesting point about approaching harmonica modification from a trained metal finisher's point of view. While I know what I want to achieve I'm the first to admit that I don't have the training or technical knowledge as to how to achieve it so there is a lot of trial and error involved on my part, some of which I'm glad to say is very successful. I will say that after working on my instruments for the last 20 years they play far better after I've gone over them than they did when I received them, but I intend sending some of them to Mike to give them a thorough going over.

I have played an MK chromatic that Joel Anderson has done 'extreme reed work' on and it is easily the best chromatic I have ever played. Incredible response and volume.

[Age]

Yeah Mike, that gets a little tricky with the "non 270" types.  I just did my new 270 the other day with the old "tried and true" sanding down the U-channel trick.

[Ed McCullough]

Mike: Can you apply your methods to the Hohner Super 64?