[pianotech] YC Capo Bars

[Roger Gable]

Scott,
Somewhere I must have missed the fact that it was a Zinc alloy. I don't know 
if it can be hardened.
Roger Gable

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Jackson" <scottwaynejackson at gmail.com>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2010 8:49 PM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] YC Capo Bars


> Can you harden Zinc alloy?
>
> Scott Jackson
>
>
> On 20/09/10 07:10, Roger Gable wrote:
>> Jon,
>> I suggest an alternate repair. Reshape the original insert and have the 
>> machinist who is working with you check the hardness at the crown. It 
>> should be around Rockwell 40. If not, explore having it hardened. It 
>> could end up costing less to harden the insert rather than machine a 
>> slot. Also, the water hardened drill rod you obtained from your local 
>> supplier is probably too hard and may cause buzzing at the duplex. 
>> Additionally, I've always felt that the capo should have as few 
>> mechanical "interruptions" as possible.
>>
>>
>>> A post last month showed the string impressions in the v-bar insert
>>> on a 1996 Weber grand.
>>> http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/2010-August/027631.html
>> John,
>>
>> That looks like the Zinc alloy inserts that were used for a short time in
>> about 1994 or so.  They not only were too soft, they made the piano very
>> hard to tune! Very sticky material with steel wire pressing against it.
>>
>> They later changed them to brass, which tuned a lot smoother but tended 
>> to
>> make the tone more zingy, and create more duplex noise because the angle
>> through the capo area was fairly shallow.
>>
>> I agree with your solution to use brass rod, but you might want to 
>> increase
>> the counter-bearing angle a little while you're at it.
>>
>> Don Mannino
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org 
>> <http://ptg.org/mailman/listinfo/pianotech>  [mailto:pianotech-bounces at 
>> ptg.org  <http://ptg.org/mailman/listinfo/pianotech>] On Behalf
>> Of Jon Page
>> Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 2:07 PM
>> To: pianotech list
>> Subject: [pianotech] YC Capo Bars
>>
>> A while ago I posted pix of a YC with the treble wire dug into the capo
>> bars. I have the capo inserts removed and here's the photos.
>>
>> I called YC and they do not support this model 1996 Weber anymore.
>>
>> I found some round rod and tested it by hammering a piece of music wire 
>> onto
>> it. The wire flattened but the rod didn't budge.
>>
>> I'll have a machine shop plane down the surface and mill a groove to hold
>> the rod at the appropriate height. I'll not worry about the duplex, I'll
>> make it straight.
>>
>> So much for making a quick buck on a spec piano.
>> -- 
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Jon Page
>