grand hinge to rim screws stripped

[John Delacour]

At 20:13 +0100 5/9/08, I wrote:

>Here's how I always do it.  It might take 30 or 40 minutes but then 
>the job is properly done and stronger than what was there originally.

I've just bought another 1865 Kirkman grand which needed this repair. 
In this case the repair will be ten times as good as the original 
since in those days they used a greenish wood that looks like poplar, 
and may be poplar but it's a lot softer than the poplar I buy now and 
breaks up easily.

I have done the repair with beech and uploaded pictures of the process to
<http://pianomaker.co.uk/technical/top_hinge_rim_repair/>

The only stage omitted is the drilling for the screw shank about 3/8" 
down after drilling the smaller holes.

After whittling the hammer shank to drive into the old holes, roll 
the shank on a board as shown while pressing the knife down to score 
the shank.  Hammer the dowel into the hole until the scoring is flush 
with the surface.  You will then get a clean break when you break off 
the shank.

JD