KiwiSqueezer
Active member
Quick question. What timbers are/have been used for accordion pallets?
Timber for pallets
- Thread starter KiwiSqueezer
- Start date
KiwiSqueezer
Active member
OK, so no-one knows? Or perhaps not interested...
I've discovered walnut and mahogany (but which type?) mentioned. Any others?
I've discovered walnut and mahogany (but which type?) mentioned. Any others?
Dingo40
Been here for ages!
Not pallets, but close?
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I missed the question, but don't know the answer. As pallets are pretty small the type of wood is not that important. The lighter the better. I guess pine would do just fine.
Ventura
Been here for ages!
i would suggest for an appropriate wood type for the purpose,
look to the wood industry knowledge base rather than the
accordion specific lost-knowledge mists of time
examples: a stable, easily worked, lightweight wood typically
used for Piano keys is Basswood. Walnut is also stable, easily worked, lightweight
and often used for high-end accordion keys, but it is expensive
and, i should think a 3d Printer in the hands of a skilled user could
churn out plenty of these with exacting specs and a long lifespan
look to the wood industry knowledge base rather than the
accordion specific lost-knowledge mists of time
examples: a stable, easily worked, lightweight wood typically
used for Piano keys is Basswood. Walnut is also stable, easily worked, lightweight
and often used for high-end accordion keys, but it is expensive
and, i should think a 3d Printer in the hands of a skilled user could
churn out plenty of these with exacting specs and a long lifespan
If you're going to replace the pallets, why not consider stepping into the bold new world of non wood pallets* (in this case from the first half of the last century to the second half...) Aluminum pallets don't warp, and with the sleeves on top accomodate minor issues with padding alignment.
About $160 for a 41 key PA.
* All wood in my own "accordion ranch/slum" save for those that originally came metal equipped.
About $160 for a 41 key PA.
* All wood in my own "accordion ranch/slum" save for those that originally came metal equipped.
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If using basswood, be aware of the difference between Northern and Southern basswood. The Northern basswood is better quality, finer grain, a bit denser than Southern - but just a tiny bit, both are very light weight compared to most other species. I have both and can feel the difference.
I have no knowledge of it's use in accordion parts but have used it for making a number of things including conductors batons and other woodturnings, especially when I want to do chip carving. The Northern cuts cleaner than the Southern. I bought 4' long 2", 3", and 4" thick planks of Wisconsin basswood from https://heineckewood.com/block-wood. It's quite stable (assuming you know a bit about wood structure and grain orientation) and easy to work, glues well, relatively strong for its weight.
Just for fun, some things I've made from this basswood. (can't remember if I posted these in the past)
Chip carving practice and a sign for my shop.
JKJ
I have no knowledge of it's use in accordion parts but have used it for making a number of things including conductors batons and other woodturnings, especially when I want to do chip carving. The Northern cuts cleaner than the Southern. I bought 4' long 2", 3", and 4" thick planks of Wisconsin basswood from https://heineckewood.com/block-wood. It's quite stable (assuming you know a bit about wood structure and grain orientation) and easy to work, glues well, relatively strong for its weight.
Just for fun, some things I've made from this basswood. (can't remember if I posted these in the past)
Chip carving practice and a sign for my shop.
JKJ
Great work JK. Wow, I have burned so much basswood here in WI I could probably have supplied you for 100 years. Sorry about that. Helps to orient the grain sideways in the stove!If using basswood, be aware of the difference between Northern and Southern basswood. The Northern basswood is better quality, finer grain, a bit denser than Southern - but just a tiny bit, both are very light weight compared to most other species. I have both and can feel the difference.
I have no knowledge of it's use in accordion parts but have used it for making a number of things including conductors batons and other woodturnings, especially when I want to do chip carving. The Northern cuts cleaner than the Southern. I bought 4' long 2", 3", and 4" thick planks of Wisconsin basswood from https://heineckewood.com/block-wood. It's quite stable (assuming you know a bit about wood structure and grain orientation) and easy to work, glues well, relatively strong for its weight.
Just for fun, some things I've made from this basswood. (can't remember if I posted these in the past)
Chip carving practice and a sign for my shop.
JKJ
Dingo40
Been here for ages!
I'm surprised no one's mentioned beech?
See here:
www.wood-database.com
See here:
European Beech | The Wood Database (Hardwood)
www.wood-database.com
Do you know a good commercial source of Cuban mahogany? PM me the details please.
Re pallet wood - your critical quality here is dimentional stability. If it warps, it's useless.
Quartersawn spruce, cuban mahogany (if you have some), honduran mahogany go to the top of the list. Cedrella should be fantastic - very lightweight. Western Red cedar too. Cedrella and WRC also smell very nice. You'll be playing with the grille off, just to smell the pallets.
Quartersawn walnut, beech, ozzie blackwood are also game.
Limba might be OK. Very lightweight and sometimes reasonably stable.
Aluminium pallets with rubber hoops are best avoided - rubber hardens with time. Just open up any old Soviet squeezebox.
Aluminium glued to levers via leather gasket should be OK.
FWIW, I'll be making myself a set for my newbuild out of WRC. Smells nice, lightweight, very stable, I have a nice chunk of it in the workshop. Also it smells nice.
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Bugger me. I can make you a set of 41 wooden pallets for just $150 instead.
Agree absolutely. Though there are now silicone elastomerics which ought to last pretty much indefinitely the basic rubber ones harden up and crack. Though you can easily tack it on with glue, if the slight compensation for misalignment is what you're counting on (and upon initial emplacement there should be zero misalignment or other torsional stress on the tube- it should be aligned just as carefully as any wood pallet to start with) you'll probably be let down with the passage of time.
The darned things really will not warp though- flat out.
The old German way was to glue the lever to the pallet via a leather link. The leather allows for some minor movement, essentially, doing what the rubber does. Still working very well on a 90 year old bandoneon and a 70 year old Morino.
KiwiSqueezer
Active member
Thanks everyone for all the info.
JKJ - What beautiful work!
Now that metal pallets and their fixing have been mentioned, here's some pix of 1950s Scandalli treble pallet fixings.
They are from this, which, as you can see, requires a bit of work (massive understatement! It was almost free, so couldn't be resisted.)
I was contemplating making a set of timber pallets for it, hence the original question. However, if anyone can tell me enough to re-make this type of fixing, it might save a lot of hassle, and preserve originality, and I'd be most grateful. Otherwise, it's yet another journey into the unknown...
The fixing seems to be a binding of thin leather, with added adhesive. I haven't yet dismantled one, but I think that the pallet has two longitudinal slots, either side of a central strip. The binding seems to go around this strip and the key rod, probably with a layer of leather interposed. Clamps were obviously applied, whilst the glue set: you can see their impressions. I believe the intention was to build in a degree of flexibility, but everything is now rock-hard, and needs to be renewed and adjusted.
JKJ - What beautiful work!
Now that metal pallets and their fixing have been mentioned, here's some pix of 1950s Scandalli treble pallet fixings.
They are from this, which, as you can see, requires a bit of work (massive understatement! It was almost free, so couldn't be resisted.)
I was contemplating making a set of timber pallets for it, hence the original question. However, if anyone can tell me enough to re-make this type of fixing, it might save a lot of hassle, and preserve originality, and I'd be most grateful. Otherwise, it's yet another journey into the unknown...
The fixing seems to be a binding of thin leather, with added adhesive. I haven't yet dismantled one, but I think that the pallet has two longitudinal slots, either side of a central strip. The binding seems to go around this strip and the key rod, probably with a layer of leather interposed. Clamps were obviously applied, whilst the glue set: you can see their impressions. I believe the intention was to build in a degree of flexibility, but everything is now rock-hard, and needs to be renewed and adjusted.
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