Hi,John! Yesterday I did mail you the package with 2 sets of braces for sty and fitting Baldwin-style blocks.Please,let me know about save arrival and How it will work.. Best of Luck!!! Isaac -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of John Formsma Sent: Friday, January 20, 2006 7:31 PM To: 'Pianotech List' Subject: RE: broken Steinway lyre braces Thanks David. These braces are round on both ends. Guess I need to make sure Steinway has some like that before I order them. John Formsma -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of David Love Sent: Friday, January 20, 2006 7:39 PM To: 'Pianotech List' Subject: RE: broken Steinway lyre braces Order them from Steinway prefinished and cut them to size (they come oversized and you cut them to length). The easiest method I've found to measure the length is by taking two 1/8" dowels about 18" in length and rubber band them together with two rubber bands. Put in the lyre and snug it down with a mallet and whatever else holds it in place. Extend the two dowels by pulling them apart lengthwise until they fit exactly between the contact points on the bottom of the lyre and the belly of the piano. The rubber bands will hold them together at that length so that you can flex them slightly to remove them from the holes in the lyre and belly and then use them to mark the length on the brace that you will need to cut. Measure each side separately as they are not always the same length! The Steinway braces are square on one end and round on the other. Make sure that the receiving holes are cut to the proper shape and depth before you measure. The round end usually goes into the lyre and the square end into the belly. Be sure you don't cut too much off the round end or you will have problems with fitting. David Love davidlovepianos@comcast.net > 1942 Steinway S in a nice club. Has broken mahogany lyre braces -- > broken about 7-8 inches from the lyre brace block (on the underside of > the piano). There is at least one broken piece that is missing. > > Woodworking is not something I have much experience in, and I don't > visualize these things well until after I have botched it at least once > to know how not to do it. So, what I was thinking about doing might be > totally dumb. Oh well, I'm not too proud to ask "stupid questions" so I > can learn. ;-) > > I can certainly find dowel stock and stain it so it would be a decent > match. That's easy enough, and since the club is rather dark it wouldn't > be that noticeable. However, I was thinking of re-using the good > portions so as to retain some of the original look of the nicely turned > braces. I would do this by putting a wood insert nut in the brace. (See > the attached picture.) I would cut the brace in the larger diameter > section, then drill a hole for the threaded insert. The insert accepts a > 5/16" carriage bolt, and I would get a bolt the proper length. The bolts > would be painted black or some other color so they would not be visible > from a distance. By doing it this way you could also easily adjust the > length of the brace by turning the carriage bolt (assuming you drill the > hole a bit deeper than the insert). > > The piano is in a club and is susceptible to careless abuse that no > doubt caused the braces to break. (I'm guessing something was shoved > under the piano and they snapped.) Whatever repair decision should be > made with a view that something like this might happen again. I'm a bit > concerned that the proposed repair would not be as strong as the dowel > rod, so I'm wondering if it's worth the effort to do the insert/bolt > thing only to possibly have it break again soon. > > Would this work? What is your repair/replacement method in this situation? > > Thanks, > > John Formsma > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- > _______________________________________________ > Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > _______________________________________________ Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives _______________________________________________ Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives _______________________________________________ Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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