Fw: Repair ? or Dump

[Roger Jolly]

Hi Newton,
                 An excellent post.
A couple of pointers to add to make a more consistent job.

Cut a small piece of maple about 1" long and 1/8" thick. Plane it down to
get the desired plate to pressure bar clearance. 
You can now use this as a template to set the height of all screws
accurately.  Set the pressure bar screws untill it just grips the block,
then back off a tad to remove.

If messed up holes have to be drilled out PLUGS is the only way to go,
other methods will not last.

Lubricating the screw thread's with soap or parafine wax will make the job
a lot easier, 

Happy New Year to all.
Roger



At 09:18 AM 02/01/00 -0500, you wrote:
>Hi Joe,
>
>You do not need to restring the piano.
>
>First thing to do is to file the hammers, space them as perfectly as
>you can to the current string spacings.  You will need this set up to
>help duplicate the spacing of the strings when the job is complete.
>
>Next carefully assess the string deflection angles of the strings
>going from the v-bar to under the pressure bar.  You may not want to
>replicate these angles but it is good to know what is present before
>beginning.
>
>Next lower tension about 3/8 to 1/2 turn of the pins (don't bother
>with the bass).
>
>Remove the pressure bar (a capo bar is a cast termination bar mostly
>on grands) by removing as many screws as will come out.  
>
>Get a screw extractor that looks like a steel tube (available in three
>sizes).  This tool is made of VERY hard steel so don't drop it.  It
>has saw teeth at each end that cut in the counterclockwise direction
>so you need to use a reversible drill.  As the teeth cut away the wood
>around the screw it will grab the screw and turn it out.
>
>Once the screws are out you enlarge the holes to accommodate a plug of
>hard wood you will need to cut with a plug cutter.  Redrill the holes
>for replacement screws.
>
>If a screw is tight against the plate you may need to drill small
>holes around the parameter of the screw then knock the screw out
>anyway you can, drill out the hole and plug it.
>
>Look carefully at the situation to determine why these screws are
>braking and try not to make the same mistake.
>
>Clean, polish the lightly lubricate the pressure bar and the v-bar.
>
>WIth everything set up with new screw holes and new screws place the
>pressure bar over the strings and begin to tighten it down a little at
>a time tightening each screw a little then the next and keep rotating
>around to each screw until the bar is down to where you want it.
>
>You will want about a 7 to 10 degree downward deflection of the string
>coming off the v-bar depending upon how far the pressure bar is from
>the v-bar.
>
>Too far is when the strings to do not render properly through the
>pathway.  Too little is when the string will bounce off the v-bar and
>cause a buzz under a hard blow.  The purpose of the deflection is for
>positive string termination.  Too much is as bad as too little.
>
>Check the spacing of the strings as nearly as possible then tune and
>recheck the spacing of the strings then retune.  It is likely that you
>will need to tune the piano four times before it begins to stay.
>
>This is not a difficult job, just time consuming and a royal pain in
>the pin setting.
>
>Think it through then go for it.  End result, a more stable and
>tunable piano.
>
>Have fun!!
>
>		Newton
> 
Roger Jolly
Saskatoon, Canada.
306-665-0213
Fax 652-0505