Jack Spring punchings

[Michael Magness]

On 10/4/07, John Delacour <JD at pianomaker.co.uk> wrote:
>
> At 16:36 +0100 4/10/07, david at piano.plus.com wrote:
>
> >Do most people here glue jack springs in place in the wippen?
>
> It depends on the design of the action.  The shorter actions, with
> the shorter spiral spring, are not designed to be glued and the
> spring won't fall out, but the tall levers with the long spring are
> meant to be glued into the lever body and will otherwise fall out
> when the action is taken apart, and that's the only reason for doing
> it, but they were glued in originally.  I'm speaking of German and
> French actions.  Of five upright actions I have on the go at the
> moment only one ( an unsigned action, probably Langer) has the short
> spring without the glued-in bottom.  Of American practice I have very
> little knowledge but a Steinway and a Sohmer I have both glued down
> the spring.
>
> JD
>
>
>
> I don't know about most "people" however, much to my dismay, it has been
> the practice of many manufacturer's for over 100 years. You will find a jack
> spring hole reamer for removal of that glue for sale on page 50 of the new
> Schaff catalog. They've been selling those since before I started in the biz
> in 1969. I have found some companies depend on the tight fit of the spring
> and don't use glue but most of those I've had the mis-fortune to have to
> replace have been glued in.


   I have a Currier spinet I tune & hate(always a fun afternoon), a fine
specimen(read previous as dripping w/sarcasm) that had a whole set of bad
jack and hammer return springs (cheap wire, I guess) that kept breaking. I
had to replace the whole set of return springs and a few years later the
whole set of jack springs, it was in an assisted living facility and the
budget was there for repairs but not replacement. The only thing good about
it was the pinblock, it wouldn't/won't give up. It is still going strong at
this writing.

I never did buy one of those jack spring hole reamers, maybe some day when I
feel I have all of the essential tools I need and want some "extras"! <grin>

Mike

-- 
You never truly understand something until you can explain it to your
grandmother. --Albert Einstein

Michael Magness
Magness Piano Service
608-786-4404
www.IFixPianos.com
email mike at ifixpianos.com
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