Leg Plate Screw Anchors

[Greg Newell]

Terry,
    I think if you have all new hard wood there it's your choice how you want to
do it. Certainly the wood will hold the new screws you might be able to find
easily. I don't have a clue where to get the new screws. I believe something was
mentioned on the list so you may want to check the archives but every time  take
one to a hardware store they "never saw anything like that before". What I know
about screws into either of those two woods is minimal. I only suggest that you
drill the hole big enough so that the shank doesn't bind. You'd be surprised how
easily it will.
You could still use the tee nuts as both Del and I suggested but the have to be
sunk so that they don't interfere with the action. Screw inserts are also an
option but back to square one if they are over tightened. I think if it were me
i'd go with the regular wood screws. I think you can find something but they may
not look exactly like what you're used to seeing. Hope this helps.

Greg


Farrell wrote:

> Yes, you saw oak. The new keybed ends where the legs go are an exact replica
> of the original - they are a sandwich construction of a hard maple plank
> that the key frame rests on, an inner block of oak, and a bottom plank of
> oak - total thickness 1-3/4". I realize in this particular case the original
> legs came loose because termites ate the wood. Even oak ain't no dern good
> if it ain't there! I would need new screws - where do you get bigger screws
> like plate screws and leg plate screws? Another concern I have about screws
> is that oak & maple are so hard, I should think they really need to be
> tapped to make threads - how does one do that? It might not be any more
> difficult to use the inserts or T-nuts as someone else mentioned.
>
> Waddaya think?
>
> Terry Farrell
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Greg Newell" <gnewell@ameritech.net>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2001 11:42 PM
> Subject: Re: Leg Plate Screw Anchors
>
> Terry,
>     In those pictures wasn't that oak I saw? Do you really think that those
> new
> screw holes will pull out? If you used a good hardwood I'd be inclined to
> just
> put traditional screws back in. I'm sure they'll hold just fine. Usually the
> times I see stripped screws is in a softwood keybed with really lack lustre
> wood
> in the first place. You're not putting the same thing back so the same thing
> isn't likely to happen.
>
> Greg
>
> Farrell wrote:
>
> > I just replaced a keybed in an old Knabe grand. The old screws for the
> cast
> > iron leg plate had pulled out several times. I see so many weak legs on
> old
> > pianos. This piano gets moved around quite a bit in the hospital lobby
> where
> > it is located (it will be placed on a new piano truck). Still though, I
> was
> > thinking that it would be of benefit to make a stronger attachment for the
> > leg plate. I was thinking of using threaded (steel or brass) wood inserts.
> > Perhaps epoxy the insert in, and then the plate would be attached with
> > flat-head stove bolts. Has anyone come up with an improvement over wood
> > screws in this area?
> >
> > Terry Farrell
>
> --
> Greg Newell
> Greg's Piano Forté
> 12970 Harlon Ave.
> Lakewood, Ohio 44107
> 216-226-3791
> mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net

--
Greg Newell
Greg's Piano Forté
12970 Harlon Ave.
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
216-226-3791
mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net