[CAUT] Loose Capstans

[James Ellis]

Concerning ways to fix loose capstans.  Here is a way NOT to do it.  Do NOT
poke sandpaper down in the hole.  I few years ago I rebuilt the action of a
1915 Steinway A where someone years before had "fixed" a whole bunch of
loose capstans by doing that.  When I got it, those capstans were frozen in
the holes.  The glue in the paper, the sand, and all that had reacted with
moisture and caused everything to just lock up.  Fortunately, I was able to
extract the capstans without breaking them or tearing up the keys, clean
them, clean out the holes, fill and re-drill them, and get things back in
order.  At one time in the past there were people who would "fix" loose
tuning pins the same way.  A few years later, those pianos would become
un-tunable.

Jim Ellis