Brass Rail Clips? On Lyon and Healy Upright?

[Paul]

Bill

Bill Spurlock substituted wood flange for the brass rail. I don't know if it
was in the PTJ or I saw it at a convention. Check with him through Spurlock
Specialty Tools. I don't know if he has an e-mail address.

Paul Chick
----- Original Message -----
From: <BSimon999@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, June 20, 2000 9:49 AM
Subject: Brass Rail Clips? On Lyon and Healy Upright?


> I am looking for some advice on solving a problem.
>
> A very nice poverty struck customer who with best intentions bought a 1908
> Lyon and Healy upright for a hundred dollars, "for the kid to earn on".
>
> I was called to tune it after the first 5 brass rail tabs broke off. The
> action is the problem, the rest of the piano is remarkably good. Brass
rail
> clips do not work well on this particular piano's brass rail geometry,
> raising the hammer butt over an eight of an inch. No normal repair flanges
> fit to the screw hole and centerpin line. I have been removing the section
of
> brass rail of just a particular note and using Billings flanges beaten
flat
> to repair it, but it is a clunky repair and is not that easy to do.
>
> Has anyone successfully  dealt with a Lyon and Healy having this problem?
> (Out of curiosity only, is there a good source for brass rail clips? )
>
> Has anyone ever removed the brass rail completely and replaced it with
wood
> flanges.
> If you did, what kind of time did it take? A certain amount of Pro Bono
work
> is usual for me,  but this one could get out of hand in a blink. My
> preference is to find a physical solution for the action problem and show
the
> fellow how to do it himself, for he is very handy.
>
> Any advice? I hate for the piano to be lost for want of a flange solution.
>
> Thank You,
> Bill Simon
>