Help AUTOHARP re-felting

Subject: Help AUTOHARP re-felting
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 07 Mar 18 - 05:39 PM

I am trying, in the uk ,to put new felts on an autoharp but have had no luck tracking down a supplier of the required self adhesive felt. I found that Amazon Uk sell sticky back felt to go under furniture to protect fwooden floors from scuff damage and wonder if that would be suitable for re-felting an autoharp? Has anyone tried it and otherwise what do you who have experience with autoharps think? Here is a link to one product offered by Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Merlinae-Furniture-Accessories-Rectangle-Hardwood/dp/B0736KFP5N/ref=sr_1_5?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1520461315
What are your thoughts please?

Subject: RE: Help AUTOHARP re-felting
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 07 Mar 18 - 05:58 PM

Subject: RE: Help AUTOHARP re-felting
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Mar 18 - 10:58 AM

Two options--

Use felt without sticky back and adjust your playing to the thickness you can obtain, or wait to find sticky back and end up using a bit of glue anyway.

BillD has had experience with using different felts if you'd like to PM him to look in at this thread. I'm not where I can see what the felt thickness translates to in inches, at your link, to predict feasibility.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Help AUTOHARP re-felting
From: leeneia
Date: 08 Mar 18 - 02:24 PM

This American company says they ship world wide. Take a look at their site.

http://www.autoharpstore.com/product_detail_1234.aspx?gclid=CjwKCAiA24PVBRBvEiwAyBxf-UrCsoEPFDrpUADyuTsuFLhCDaKFSo1N5opBbRi58B6eQ-g98qwueBoCXyMQAvD_BwE

Subject: RE: Help AUTOHARP re-felting
From: GUEST,Bill D
Date: 08 Mar 18 - 05:00 PM

My felt came from a leftovers bin at a gasket company many years ago. It is just a tiny bit thicker than the stuff sold commercially or that comes on a new harp, but it is a lot 'stiffer'. It never seems to get those grooves that happen to the usual type. (It is grey, with a reddish center stripe)

I probably have 'close' to enough to refelt one instrument, but I still need to do 3-4 bars on my current one. I never did finish the minor chords.

   When I found it there was no such thing as the WWW and Google, and I have never looked until now, but it only took me a minute to find this...
http://www.auburn-mfg.com/products/felt-gasket-material.html

I have not sorted thru all of it, and there ARE other hits. If someone wants to have options, I'd bet you can find something.

Subject: RE: Help AUTOHARP re-felting
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Mar 18 - 05:11 PM

Perhaps a better link... http://www.sutherlandfelt.com/products/pressed-wool-felt-sheet-felt/

Subject: RE: Help AUTOHARP re-felting
From: Bill D
Date: 08 Mar 18 - 05:13 PM

That's still me above

Subject: RE: Help AUTOHARP re-felting
From: Bill D
Date: 08 Mar 18 - 05:36 PM

On re-reading, I see the request was for self-adhesive felt. Personally, I would not trust that. It might work, but those type of adhesives have not been as long lasting as I like.
You pays yer money, you takes your chances.

Subject: RE: Help AUTOHARP re-felting
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 08 Mar 18 - 07:07 PM

Thank you all for your very helpful comments and suggestions = you have opened up a lot of new avenues for me to explore.

Is it only 100% wool felt that is suitable or will other, synthetic, felts work as well?
what is the best adhesive to use ?

Subject: RE: Help AUTOHARP re-felting
From: leeneia
Date: 09 Mar 18 - 04:50 PM

Hi, Geoff. I used to work in a fabric & craft store, so I learned some things about glue.

Natural materials (wood, wool, cotton) are easy to glue. They are porous and absorbent. Man-made materials are harder, and you have to read the directions on the glue and look for the right one.

You probably have an aluminum bar in your autoharp, and that's going to call for a glue which bonds to metal. But your glue also needs to bond to the felt, which is probably synthetic. Also, your glue must not dissolve the felt. It must not bulk up when being spread, and it also needs to be removable when today's felt needs replacing.

It's true that Bill D. likes the felt strip he rescued on the job, but maybe he's not as particular as you about the way his autoharp sounds and acts. It might also be that the felt product he's been using has changed since he plucked it out of the wastebasket.

I think that given the things that could go wrong, you should order replacement felt specifically made for an autoharp.

There are YouTube videos that show you how to do it.

Subject: RE: Help AUTOHARP re-felting
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 10 Mar 18 - 09:32 PM

The woven wool felt used in pianos is probably the nearest to your requirements. Not self-stick, but should take glue without it coming out the other side of the fabric. Very cheap on eBay.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Piano-Tuning-Wool-Felt-Temperament-Strip-Tapered-Mute-SS/232640896860?epid=1269080637&hash=item362a7a

Ross

Subject: RE: Help AUTOHARP re-felting
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 10 Mar 18 - 09:56 PM

Or you could just go to the experts -

http://autoharpworks.com/felt/40-felt-strips.html

My London-based friend Wendy Grossman has a page on autoharps which includes a couple of other sources for felt , and also mentions the possibility of altering the chords by adjusting the position of the felt strips. "UK Autoharps" seems to have disappeared, but Elderly instruments (USA) might supply UK.

Wendy's page -
http://www.pelicancrossing.net/autoharp.htm

Might be worth contacting Hobgoblin, though their on-line site doesn't list felt.

Ross

Subject: RE: Help AUTOHARP re-felting
From: Bill D
Date: 11 Mar 18 - 09:26 PM

I must note that the 'wastebasket' felt I found is essentially unchanged after over 40 years. Something similar would be found in the link(s) I posted because it IS a standard commercial product. Some companies will provide various thickness & densities. (Mine was about 1/8" thicker than standard, which lowered the action and took less pressure, but it required shaving it with a razor blade for the thicker bass strings to avoid it touching.
IF one is a serious musician, like Bryan Bowers, and has several instruments, it might pay one to investigate the various options... but if it's merely a hobby and involves only one 'harp, it is probably easier to just deal with the standard dealers. (Note: a dealer won't sell a lot of felt if it lasts 40+ years... it is probably a better business model to stay with the softer white felt that gradually develops grooves and needs to be replaced.) Your choice.

Subject: RE: Help AUTOHARP re-felting
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 18 Mar 18 - 05:25 AM

What is the best adhesive for securing felt to wood? Will an impact adhesive do the job well?