old flanges

[Dave Nereson]

<With the old bushings/flanges it seems there is no forgiveness - ream
it out - check fit - still too tight - ream the teeny tiniest little bit -
check fit - too loose. The bushing material even feels different during
reaming - more firm. Is this just my imagination, or does bushing felt get
hard with age and make for less forgiving pin fitting? Can I assume this is
a reason to re-bush (perhaps we should just re-flange and steer clear of
politics!)?
Terry Farrell>

Yes, I've experienced this also.  I think the bushing felt is just compacted
and has no resilience any more.  It sometimes works to just burnish them for
the next size pin, or to heat the pin first, run it through, let it cool,
then repin, but this also sometimes goes too far (makes it too loose).
Sometimes I just find the pin that fits the bushing best, then ream the
birdseye IF it's just for a few flanges and not a high-end piano.  If
they're all like that, recommend all new flanges.  Don't bother to rebush
even 20 old flanges -- what a pain and waste of time!    --Dave Nereson,
RPT, Denver