[CAUT] Loose Capstans

[Jorgensen, Michael L]

Coat the screw part of the capstan and hole with thick varnish or some other thick oily finish.  Such will dry so you can still adjust the capstan but it will hold position. 
-Mike Jorgensen

> ----------
> From: 	caut-bounces@ptg.org on behalf of Ken Zahringer
> Reply To: 	College and University Technicians
> Sent: 	Monday, May 9, 2005 5:02 PM
> To: 	College and University Technicians
> Subject: 	[CAUT] Loose Capstans
> 
> I encountered a new phenomenon the other day.  One of the piano faculty told me one note on his 1920> '> s vintage Steinway wasn> '> t working, so I went to check it out.  When I pulled the action, I saw that the offending hammer was sitting all the way down on the cushion.  After eliminating all the causes I could think of, I started adjusting the capstan.  The capstan was extremely loose > ->  it took almost no force to turn it.  The threads were still intact, but it was so loose that apparently the impact of playing caused the capstan to screw itself down into the key.  There were one or two other keys where the hammers had sagged almost as much, but were still functional.  A quick survey indicated that the whole keyboard probably needs attention.
> 
> Anyone have any experience with this sort of thing?  I> '> m thinking of maybe West System epoxy or Webb Phillips> '>  Wood Rebuilder, but then again, I do have a bottle of Garfields Pinblock Restorer around here somewhere. :-)  I don> '> t know what the long term effects on future adjustments might be of any particular fix.  Just don> '> t suggest CA glue.  The last time I used that stuff my sinuses were plugged solid for a week.
> 
> Thanks,
> Ken Z.
> -- 
> Ken Zahringer, RPT
> Piano Technician
> University of Missouri School of Music
> 297 Fine Arts Bldg
> Columbia, MO 65211
> 573-882-1202
> cell 573-489-7529
> 
>