When I made the decision to build I knew I was setting out on a long journey. I was impatient and had a vague idea that I would use as many ready parts as possible. But I also had a vague idea that that weren't that many "ready" parts around.
After a certain amount of research, I realised that I would only buy the bellows, the (accordion) reeds and the pads. Pads mainly because my access to suitable leather was non-existent. Other things like springs I was too miserly to buy!
I have built 3 bellows before, years and years back and that created a lot of respect, so I ordered a set of bellows from Marcus Music in Wales. They arrived a few weeks after ordering and to my big and pleasant surprise the kind folks at Marcus had thrown in a set of hex–shaped frames as well – the frames that they otherwise would had used to build the instrument:
This meant that I was well on my way to build the end boxes - the instrument’s sides, containing buttons and action parts.
Disclaimer
Finally, a comment on the term “Kitchen Table Concertina Building”: it is not intended as a down-play of the process, like "It's not difficult at all – you can make it on your kitchen table!" and maybe lure innocent victims into believing so.
In the same way, it is not intended to slight the efforts of the makers, but I rest easy on that part; they know the process too well to be offended.
Enter the kitchen