flange cords

[Susan Kline]

Dear Dwight,

You wrote:
>
>I'd like to now solicit the members of the list for a suggestion.  I just
picked
>up a Yamaha studio action with many broken butt flange cords.  The cords are
>brown, not the usual white.  I don't want to remove the hammers.  At this
point
>I'm thinking of detaching the bridal straps and letting the whips drop to
gain
>access to the screw side of the flange to facilitate attaching new cords.  I
>suppose I'll use parachute cord (I've used it to replace grand whip cords).
>Being so close to the center pin I'm afraid to use CA so I'm thinking of
using
>tweezers and prewetting the ends of the cord with Titebond.  Any suggestions?
>Any slick tool ideas?  I have a feeling this could be very tedious and
>straining.  I'm very far-sighted so this kind of fine work is difficult if I
>have to do it by eye.


I think the others are right, it is less work to replace the whole flange.
However, if you decide you want to leave the hammers in place (which does,
indeed, avoid some problems) and replace only the cords, I would suggest
leaving the bridle tapes hooked on, and numbering and removing the dampers
instead. With the action in a cradle, this should give you good access to
the springs and cord.

Also, to make the new strings the right length, you might consider figuring
out exactly how long they should be, and making up a piece of thick firm
carboard with the width exactly half the length of the string. Then wind
the cord around the card, one turn for each string, and cut straight
accross the bundle with a razor blade or exacto knife. It might work better
to do them in batches of 15 or 20.

Of course try samples first, and put them on some butts, to be sure the
cardboard is the right size.

I've seen large lenses on stands with a light built into the back, intended
to help elderly people read. Maybe parking one of those in front of the
action might prevent eyestrain.

When I did this job, I removed the old fragments of glue and cord (which
was brown, though I think it probably started out by being white) with a
small screwdriver. I touched up the very narrow screwdriver edge with a
file, so the corners were very sharp, and scraped the slot with that. I
used CA glue, but I think titebond might have been better, with less danger
of soaking into the center pin bushing.

Good luck.

Susan
Susan Kline
P.O. Box 1651
Philomath, OR 97370
skline@proaxis.com		

"I'm glad there are at least some things somewhere that I don't have to do
today."
		-- Ashleigh Brilliant