Collard and Collard Console

[Terry Beckingham]

Hi list,

I tuned a very small Collard and Collard console today. The keys angle down
at the back to go under the wippens. It's not a spinet, but is almost that
small. There are a couple of problems with it. 

First the owner had a leak in the roof which allowed water to drip down onto
the upper two octaves of keys. There was sufficient water to cause the front
rail bushings to become unglued and to drop out of the bottom of the keys
and rest on the front rail punchings. No water reached the action. I will be
rebushing the front rail after Christmas.

The second problem is that in the same area of the piano, the jacks are not
returning under the hammer butts. The keys are free not binding. The
whippen/butt on most of them will drop by itself if lifted without the key.
The capstans are smooth and shiny, not corrosion. The jack springs are not
broken and do not appear to be weak. There is a little lost motion so the
jacks are not catching on the butt leather. I am wondering if the center pin
bushings are swollen just enough to keep the jack from going back under. If
this is so, do you suppose using protek on the center pin bushings would
alleviate the problem, or will I have to ream the bushings? The piano is not
worth spending a lot of money on.

Any advice would be appreciated. I am supposed to go back on Tuesday to try
to remedy the problem.

Thanks

Terry Beckingham
PTG Associate Member
e-mail: beckingt@mbnet.mb.ca