Hi Dale, If you have all the original parts intact then the process is straightforward as they were a well made piano. Hammers Your best bet is to have these re-covered rather than replace (go for a light weight hammer). they use butt plates to attach the flange to the hammer butt. Recover leathers notch cushions and notch pads in the normal. If you need to replace odd butts standard English butts with the minor modification to the balance hammer shank. they will suffice. Bottom sections. The most tricky part of the bottom section depending on the model is the way in lost motion is taken out, this is a brass screw which passes through the bottom section with a dolly on the end, which comes in contact with the key pad. It is best to grip the bottom section with a pair of pliers whilst turning the screw so you do not put pressure on the flange. Recentre the jacks and flanges in the normal way check the check felt, replace if necessary re-burnished the jacks check the set off screws to see if they are free, paper out any groves in the set off pads. Dampers. This is where you may have to do a bit of importing. If you need to change the damper felt you will need some end grain felt (this is not the same as the felt you use on underdampers) for the treble section normal clip and wedge dampers will fit the base section. The end grain felt is best fitted in one continuos strip, so remove the hammer heads being careful as the wires can be fragile, the heads are on a screwed wire. align your heads in a row after cleaning old felt off place some sticky tape over the backs of the heads. The end grain felt should have a backing felt along the back and up the sides this is to protect the felt from splaying out, the backing felt should come up three quarters of the sides of the end grain felt. The whole thing then should be glued in position on top of your row damp heads with a very sharp knife tilt the damper heads on their side and slice down each damper this should give you a nice clean fit. With it being end grain it will cut very easily replace heads back on to wires it is a good idea to count the number of turns for each head when you take them off and turn them back on the same amount. End grain felt can be obtained from Heckschers and Co. 75 Bayham Street, London. NW1 OAA tel: 01713871735 fax 017138730431 Regulating With the dampers off do the hammer spacing and travel as normal. The hammer blow should be set to 47mm the set off should be 3mm and the checking should be 12 to 15 mm key depth of touch 10mm sharps should be set 12mm above naturals and should protrude 2 mm above naturals when depress. Dampers should be placed on individually and spaced. Damper lift should be three quarters of the hammer travel and the slap rail should be set so there is 1 mm clearance, bird cage dampers have the same characteaisics as grand dampers especially the kick back I bend and tweak the dampers to a straight edge on the bench first then I do it in the piano if the dampers are a bit of a bitch then I take them all off and put them back on one at a time and reg and space as I go along If you are left hand start in the treble and if you are right handed start in the bass . Any problems give us an email and I will talk you through it. Kind Regard, Barrie. p.s. good luck. In article <961112074934_1815001622@emout12.mail.aol.com>, Daleboy@aol.com writes >Dear list, > Anybody have any info on a manufacturer by the name of Rud. Ibach >Sohn.....apparently German according to my client. >This particular instrument is of the "Bird Cage Action" >configuration........availability of replacement parts??? > Don't worry........covered my hind parts with a rather hefty quote per >hour for repair and R&D of new parts. >Many thanks! > >Dale Whitehead, RPT >Franklin, TN > -- Barrie Heaton | Be Environmentally Friendly URL: http://www.airtime.co.uk/forte/piano.htm | To Your Neighbour The UK PIano Page | pgp key on request | HAVE YOUR PIANO TUNED
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC