Terry/Chickering 1/4 Grand Questions

[Tom Driscoll]

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Joseph Garrett
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 10:53 PM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: Terry/Chickering 1/4 Grand Questions

Terry,
I've re-what-evered several. There are several "versions" of this beast.
Some are better than others. The original one had brass flanges and all
of
the wippens/hammer shanks were at the same angle as the strings. A true
nightmare! My solution was a new action with buckets of modifications to
get
the darned thing to function properly. (At the time, the new action was
called a "Clemson Action", which came from the olde Pratt-Read Company,
later know as Pratt-Win, a subsidary of Baldwin. I don't think this
action
is available anymore. Besides, my preference would be a Renner.
Best Regards,
Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)
	
	Terry, 
	Jack Wyatt gave us some detailed info on the old Chickering
models. Should be in the archives. 
	I just reconditioned a 133 "anniversary Grand " 5'8" with the
brass flanges described by Joe and they are indeed challenging . Soft
and frozen Brass drop screws in those hammer shank flanges was my
dilemma on this one. 
	These are difficult and quirky old things, but todays
manufacturers could take a lesson in workmanship from those dead old
boy's. Just look at the joinery on that keyframe .
	 Tom Driscoll