[pianotech] Broken hammer shank on a Yamaha Spinet

[Rob McCall]

Paul,

These are some great ideas! Thanks!

Sorry for the delay in replying. I went out of town after I posted and  
just got back tonight.

I originally wanted to avoid removing the action, but after reading  
many of the replies and talking with some local techs at the Pomona  
Valley PTG meeting, I'm more open to it now.

After reading the plethora of feedback, I feel fully briefed on a lot  
of the problems or concerns that commonly come up. I have a good plan  
of attack.

As you may know, I'm still fairly new at this...  So what I'm planning  
on doing is taking a few photos and commentary of the process and my  
experience so that I can hopefully help the next new guy with the same  
question that's coming up right behind me!  :-)

I'll post at the completion.  Thanks again!

Regards,

Rob McCall
McCall Piano Service, LLC
Murrieta, CA

rob at mccallpiano.com
www.mccallpiano.com
951-698-1875



On Oct 10, 2009, at 23:33 , pmc033 at earthlink.net wrote:

> Hi, Rob:
> 	Well, I would just remove the shank, with whatever method works for  
> you.
> I do like your suggestion using the screw/heat etc.  Use a sharp  
> drill and
> remove any glue residue in the hole.  Often, the preferred method of
> removal doesn't work, and you're left with having to drill it out.   
> Use
> care to drill it straight.  Glue in the shank, mount the flange to the
> rail, and using a shank cutter, cut slivers off the end of the shank  
> until
> you can get the (dry) fit you need.  Then just glue the hammer onto  
> the
> shank and you're done.
> 	If you drill a tiny hole into the hammer for allowing the excess  
> glue to
> escape, it helps.  When gluing in the shank to the butt, make sure  
> it's
> parallel to the others and that the catcher lines up with the others  
> when
> the shank is resting on the rest rail.  In other words, the hole in  
> the
> butt has to be cleared of any debris, and if it's a little  
> oversized, the
> centerline of the shank may not match the centerline of the hammer  
> butt and
> the catcher may sag below the other ones.  Sometimes I've had to  
> support
> the catcher while the glue hardens.  With your action in the piano,  
> this
> may be tricky to do.  For the sake of your sanity, if you have to  
> remove
> the action, just bite the bullet and do it.  It will make your life  
> easier
> in the long run.  Trying to repair the spinet action in the piano is  
> such a
> pain that I've resigned myself to removing the action in many cases.
> 	Spinet repair is a pain in the ... (fill in the blank).  Are you  
> having
> fun yet?
> 	Good luck
> 	Paul McCloud
> 	San Diego