Homemade boosters / contropelli / dot-and-spine

[Gonk]

Hello all. I'm looking for a good method to make valve boosters from scratch. I have plenty of trimmed valve leather to use for dots. I am looking for some kind of flat wire, preferably in a few gauges, to use for the spines. I'm not sure where to look - perhaps it doesn't exist, and I need to be looking for thin sheet metal instead. Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[debra]

I would suggest to just buy boosters and even the dots ready-made. I got everything from Carini de Na (in Castelfidardo). Boosters come in many sizes, circles you need in something like 5, 6, 8 mm. Boosters are flat strips of metal and would be very hard to cut from sheet metal.

 

[Gonk]

Paul, thanks, I'll write to them. Their price is much lower than I thought.

 

[JIM D.]

I stock boosters in the shop now but in years past I have needed boosters and made my own when I needed them for
repair.

For a while when in need I used Camera film. Still today I still have some of these old film rolls and would cut up boosters for
odd size boosters needed for leather or plastic valves.

Today many new Italian accordions will have plastic boosters on their treble valves.

I also have used the high "E" guitar strings cut to size for boosters.

 

[Gonk]

Both are great DIY ideas, thanks!

 

[debra]

I stock boosters in the shop now but in years past I have needed boosters and made my own when I needed them for
repair.

For a while when in need I used Camera film. Still today I still have some of these old film rolls and would cut up boosters for
odd size boosters needed for leather or plastic valves.

Today many new Italian accordions will have plastic boosters on their treble valves.

I also have used the high "E" guitar strings cut to size for boosters.

Interesting that you used camera film. The Russians still use celluloid or mylar for boosters. I never liked that and have already replaced a number of these boosters by the metal ones I got from Carini. Generally the Italian accordions with plastic treble valves work fine, but the leather valves with plastic boosters are rubbish. The plastic can resonate, and it loses its strength over time. It may work for the treble side outside cassotto but not in cassotto (because of long term effect of gravity) and I also have been replacing them in my bass accordion, because they lose strength and they vibrate/resonate loudly enough to bother me.

 

[Gonk]

Cassotto applications are the nearest to my need: diatonics where half of the reeds are mounted flush with the fondo. The entire row needs boosters on one side, but the boosters need to allow the reeds to sound without hesitation. They also need to defy gravity for many years. This does lead me to think the metal ones are my best option. I played with some guitar wire, and even the E string is quite stiff at shorter lengths. I ordered a bit of shim stock (.001") to play with, but I also wrote to Carini.

 

[nagant27]

I’ve never investigated but does carini have a site in English and go they do smaller orders?

 

[Glug]

CGM Musical does boosters in the UK:

reed valves

 

[JIM D.]

Kontakt

www.shopssl.de

 

[debra]

I’ve never investigated but does carini have a site in English and go they do smaller orders?

When you go to their site, right after their name (top left) is a small Italian flag which is actually a drop-down menu giving you a choice between Italian and English.

 

[ArtMustel]

i went to Carini website but i can't find the boosters. also, I am unable to see any prices. do i need to contact them to learn the prices of the items they sell? Thank you.

 

[debra]

i went to Carini website but i can't find the boosters. also, I am unable to see any prices. do i need to contact them to learn the prices of the items they sell? Thank you.

http://www.carinidena.it/MS5ECOMMERCE60/jsp/eco_cc_home_bs_portlet.jsp?p=searcharti&w_ricgruppo=%2705FISA%27&w_ricsgruppo=%2760VO%27&w_riccateg=%276025VE%27

This is the page with dots, boosters and more.
When you create an account (this not require you to buy anything or provide financial details) and then log in you will see prices.

 

[ArtMustel]

Thank you Paul!

 

[Gonk]

I went with Carini - thanks for the advice. 2000 boosters (no dots) came to $57 with tax + post to the US.

 

[debra]

I went with Carini - thanks for the advice. 2000 boosters (no dots) came to $57 with tax + post to the US.

When you get several sizes... it adds up.
As for the dots, you need something for the larger sizes, but for small size dots you can just use a paper perforator.