SPINET OUT OF CONTROL (2)

[Les Smith]

Hi, again, Jim.

Just a short additional note on those Wurlitzer spinet junkers. If
I remember correctly--it's been a LONG time since I've serviced
one--the action is not secured with "action bolts" but with long.
light-weight wood screws that are notorious, not just for bending,
but for breaking off entirely when they were either being removed
and replaced. It was such  common problem that I seem to remember
Wurtitzer issuing a technical bulletin on the matter that dealt with
how to remove the broken screw stubs and suggesting replacements for
the original screws. IF Wurlitzer didn't issue such a bulletin, I
certainly remember discussing the matter with other techs who were
running into the problem all the time in the field. Since you men-
tioned that one of the screws WAS bent, I just thought I'd point out
to you that you were lucky that it didn't break on you, or your bad
situation could have been even worse.

Also, before working on any old spinet, closely inspect it for the
presence of plastic action parts, which were used extensively in late
40's-50's. Plastic damper, hammer. wippen and jack flanges, plus plastic
jacks and lifter elbows are frequently encountered. In some instances
they are so brittle that they will break while you are simply striking
the keys hard enough to tune the piano. Or, you discover a loose ham-
mer flange and tighten the screw and in the process the plastic flange
breaks. No problem. You decide to remove the broken flange with the
action still in the piano and replace it with a wooden one. Easy, re-
pair, huh? Well, as you try to remove the flange screw, you push the
jack to the side with your screwdriver blade and your heart breaks as
you hear the plastic wippen flange break, too. Now you're going to have
to pull the entire plastic-loaded action to replace the broken wippen
flange and in the process... you get the idea! Soon you're thinking
"there's gotta be an easier way to make a living"!

Watch out for those old spinets. They're disasters just waiting to
happen. Better they happen to someone else, than you or, ME!

Les Smith
lessmith@buffnet.net