Leather hinges

[Barrie Heaton]

Dear Bill,


Its quite common for the action to be in two parts.  Parchment is
probably a good alternative to velum.  I have a velum saw which makes
life a lot eaiser it the same thickness as the velum.

A junior hacksaw will suffice,  if you hammer out the set of the teeth
it will still be a fractiohn too thick.  Alternatively if you only go
down the road of doing the six suspect notes,  use an eye dropper and
put some metholated spirits on the edge of the old velum.  This will
break down the animal glue.  You may be able to pull the velum out with
a pair of tweezers.  However, normally speaking the tail ends of the
velum (the bit which is not in the hammer head)  which are held in place
by a long rail are normally glued,  I have come across actions when the
rail is removed all the hammers come off or if they are glued removing
the rail sometimes tears the old velum and you end up replacintg the
lot.

Its true to say,  as pointed out by others. That if one is going to go
the others won't be far behind.  Unfortuneatley that will be the case
for the pushers as well which are velumed to the bottomrail.

If you email me privately with your postal address, I will send you a
sample of velum so you know what you are looking for.

Regards,

Barrie.



In article <970327230252_-834825163@emout16.mail.aol.com>,
Maxpiano@aol.com writes
>Dear Barrie,
>
>
>Thanks for the information and the encouragement.  Our American supply houses
>are not so much into period instruments, so I will be looking in a leather
>shop for something like vellum.
>
>This instrument is further unusual in that the action comes out in two
>separate pieces.  The sound board is small, extending only from about an
>octave above middle C on to the right, and there is a support for it that
>divides the action.  Two key frames, two hammer rails, bass/tenor part has to
>slide out first.
>
>Bill Maxim, RPT
>





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Barrie Heaton                                  |  Be Environmentally Friendly
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