Needing help with Billings Flanges

[Horace Greeley]

List,

Addenda to Steve's note, snipped for space:



>It is possible to travel Billings flanges. As I remember, it requires two
>pairs of fine nose pliers. Grab the narrow portion (near the centerpin)
>with one plier, hold the tongues of the lower portion with the other
>pair, and CRANK on it to bend the flange in the direction it needs to >go
to correct the travelling.

Agreed, please remember that you are working in three dimensions.  My
preference is to use duckbill parallel pliers for the pair used to hold the
tongues.  Also, painful experience suggests that one do this with a
"disposable" center pin in place; the hole through which the pin passes in
the folded metal needs all the support it can get, even when using a new
flange.  Unfortunately (or not, depending on your point of view), most of
the instruments which used used these things are now long since out of
production.

>Installing new Billings flanges in an old action is
>the way to go, as the old ones often crack at the top, especially if
>someone has installed an oversize pin along the line.
>

This is especially the case if someone (obvously an RPT would _never_ do
this) has done any "alignment" by twisting the butt and/or hammer whilst
the same was still installed in the instrument.

The correct repair for a worn Billings flange is either to replace the
tongue/center pin, or to rebush the butt, as necessary.  As both of these
methods are neither efficient or expedient, new flanges are preferable, if
available.

>These flanges were a great idea, one of many who have passed into >the
archives of piano history. Earl Billings, now deceased, owned the >Billings
Baldwin piano dealership here in Long Beach, California. He >mentioned to
me on more than one occasion  that it was his >grandfather who invented and
patented the Billings flange.
>

Earl was a true gentleman of the old school.  Tall and stately, I don't
think I ever saw him (in the store) without a coat and tie.  He always had
words of encouragement for some of us young (then) whippersnappers.

Fond memories of a bygone day.

Thanks, Steve.

Best to all.

Horace

Horace Greeley

Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes.

Stanford University
email: hgreeley@leland.stanford.edu
voice mail: 415.725.9062
LiNCS help line: 415.725.4627