This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/related attachment --Boundary_(ID_V4tLtve57FxvyZbS3/cTOw) When I visualized this repair, as originally discussed, I always = assumed, an Asian type flange would be used. That way the rod better places the flange. In this picture rod seems to leave a little bit of wiggle room. Or am I missing something? John M. Ross Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Farrell=20 To: pianotech@ptg.org=20 Sent: Monday, January 30, 2006 4:01 PM Subject: Brass Rail to Wood Flange Conversion This was a topic a little while back that seemed to spur some = interest, so I thought I would follow up the latest. I converted the = brass hammer butt rail on an old M&H upright to wooden flanges via the = Bill Spurlock method. Worked very well, except for one thing on this = piano - I don't know how many others might be similarly affected.=20 Look at the two pictures below. I think it is fairly easy to identify = the nice new white hard maple wood that I added to the original rail - = right on top and flush with the back side of the hammer butt flange. Before I added the maple piece, everything went together well, except = that I noticed a few flanges/action-centers a little out of line with = the others. The top edge of the rail was a tiny bit chewed up in those = locations and the upper flat part of the flange that mates with the rail = wasn't even touching the rail - all of it was above the rail. So the = only thing that was helping to kinda keep the flange in place was the = brass wire - but that was quickly indenting into the wood flange and the = flange was moving inward. I pondered a solution for.... well, longer = than I care to admit. Then after putting two brains together (Phil Bondi = and I - alright, maybe 1-1/2 brains - and Phil ain't the one a = half-sandwich short of a picnic) - we also theorized that without some = kind of good support on the upper part of that flange, not only can the = flange migrate inward over time a bit becuase of a lack of support for = the flange surface, but when that hammer strikes the string - we = wondered how the lack of a stable/secure base to the flange might cause = a loss of tone - kinda like having a hammer rail made of Styrofoam or at = least flange screws being loose or an action center that is too loose - = I know those factors can cause a lack of power/tone. So, we thought that beefing up the rail with as wide a piece of maple = as we could fit between the front edge of the damper flanges and the = back side of the butt flanges would help to stabilize/strengthen the = butt flanges and hence the whole hammer assembly. I'm far from putting it in the piano, but I think this modification = will be of benefit. Time will tell. Terry Farrell The photo below is down at the bass end of the rail. Just one butt = flange is in place so that the added maple piece can be seen. The maple = plug is an artifact of plugging the holes in the rail where the original = brass butt rail was screwed to the rail. The photo below is looking down the long axis of the rail at the bass = end. --Boundary_(ID_V4tLtve57FxvyZbS3/cTOw) An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/3e/98/d3/c7/attachment.htm --Boundary_(ID_V4tLtve57FxvyZbS3/cTOw)-- ---------------------- multipart/related attachment A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image0001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 62484 bytes Desc: not available Url : https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/cb/02/d2/1d/image0001.jpg ---------------------- multipart/related attachment A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image0002.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 49937 bytes Desc: not available Url : https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/32/bc/fc/7f/image0002.jpg ---------------------- multipart/related attachment--
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