Haines grand rep springs (again)

[Brian Trout]

Hey J.P.,

Just an off the wall thought or two...

Is there any other repetition spring that could be made to function
appropriately on the beast?  Or one that could be altered in a consistent
enough fashion to do the job?

I can't lay my hands on a piano supply catalog at this second, so I don't
know exactly what's available.  It might be that the normal Steinway or
Baldwin springs might be too short or too small in diameter for what you
need.

I have a feeling that the wire that you need is different than the normal
piano wire, so trying to use the normal stringing stock might not work so
well.  (Does spring wire have a higher carbon content? or some such thing??)

Perhaps you could make a call to Mapes and see if someone might have a
suggestion as to what might be the right wire to use for what you want it
for.  They might even be able to send you a pound or two.
;-)

I don't know if Apsco might even have just what you want, if you can just
talk to someone who knows a little something about the stuff they sell.  You
could ask to talk to John if he's there.  From what I remember, they do have
a pretty extensive inventory of wire.

Sorry I'm not much help as to what wire size to use, or details like that.
Somebody knows.  These little springs have to come from -somewhere-!!

Good luck,

Brian Trout
Quarryville, PA
btrout@desupernet.net

----- Original Message -----
From: J Patrick Draine <draine@mediaone.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 1999 11:42 AM
Subject: Haines grand rep springs (again)


> Dear List:
> A few weeks ago someone posted regarding a Haines grand she was working
on.
> I think I was the only one who responded on the list, and I was for the
> most part commiserating with her that their disintegrating springs can be
> an awful morrass.
> I did, however, ask for suggestions regarding replacing the "repetition
> springs" on this action. These Haines actions don't have a repetition
> lever, rather the spring itself functions as lever and letoff tip.
> Does anyone have recommendations as to the ideal replacement wire? I
recall
> using various sizes of music wire (brass and steel) to kludge my way out
of
> situations, but they never seemed satisfactory. I may need to do a whole
> set in the near future, and would appreciate informed suggestions. Do any
> suppliers sell straight (or spooled) pieces of the same wire used for,
say,
> Steinway grand wippens?
> TIA,
> aptrick Draine
>