A sad Hamilton

[robert goodale]

Although I work as the university tech at UNLV, I do substantial
work outside of the university.  Some private work but mostly
contract work with my partner Alan Meyer for a local dealer.  Our
relationship with the dealer is a very good one. They are very
nice and fair with us.  We install all of the PianoDisc systems
and occasionally make repairs on other pianos.

Yesterday we were asked to look at a Hamilton.  I would strongly
suspect the piano was moved to Las Vegas form a humid climate.
It is literally falling apart in the worst way I have ever seen.
In addition to the sound board splitting and ribs pulling away,
the bridges cap, (both bass and treble), have pulled completely
loose and are literally falling off.  The treble is the worst
having already moved nearly a half inch downward in some places.
The piano as you would guess sounds absolutely awful.  The tone
strongly resembles a banjo sound in a humorous way.  As a joke we
were playing banjo tunes on it, (Beverly Hillbillies, etc.), and
it actually sounded pretty good.

We have agreed with the dealer that we will attempt to repair it
in the cheapest manor as possible, (were not going to recap a
Hamilton).  Our plan is this:

1. We will loosen an remove all the strings in the piano.  We
will pull them off the hitch pins but not the tuning pins.  We
will simply tie them up.  When the job is done we will slip them
back over the hitch pins, tighten up the coils, and bring it back
up to pitch.

2. We will remove the caps completely, (with probably little or
no effort).  We will then drill counter sunk holes along the cap
and bridge respectively for installing screws.

3.  We will glue the bridge back down using epoxy, (West System),
tightening  and clamping it down with counter sunk screws as
mentioned above.

4.  We will glue screw and clamp the ribs and bridges as needed
back to the sound board.

5.  We will string up the piano with the original strings as
mentioned above.

6.  We will pray that this actually works.

Anyone see any problems with this procedure?  Would y'all agree
with this method?  It seems to me the most economical solution to
a piano with limited value.

Rob Goodale, RPT
Las Vegas, NV