[pianotech] re-gluing loose hammer felt

[Wally Scherer]

I've used clamps, vice grips, wire ties with wood glue and CA glue. Finally, the last job I did seems to be the best so far. 

It was a Baldwin studio with about 20 hammers half separated. I removed the action, put it in the action cradle on a table, then proceeded one by one to apply the medium thick CA glue to both surfaces. Then I would grab it tight with vice grips (with curved jaws) to close the opening, being sure it aligned properly. Then I sprayed it with the activator and held it tight for a full minute. When I released pressure, each one held.

Afterwards, I applied a few drops of thin CA glue to the hammers that had NOT separated yet to hopefully prevent them from separating.

Whenever working with CA glue on a big project like this or applying to tuning pins, I always have a fan blowing. But sometimes my eyes still burn.


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Wallace T. Scherer, piano technician, music educator
Serving professional and amateur musicians since 1979
5020 Canal Drive, Lake Worth, Florida, 33463-8014
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--- On Sat, 2/4/12, David Weiss <davidweiss at embarqmail.com> wrote:

> From: David Weiss <davidweiss at embarqmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] re-gluing loose hammer felt
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Date: Saturday, February 4, 2012, 4:21 PM
> A good way to clamp them is with
> cable ties left over from Dampp Chaser
> installations. Very secure and no cost.  Here's a few
> photos.
> 
> David Weiss
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org
> [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org]
> On Behalf
> Of Ron Nossaman
> Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2012 3:30 PM
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] re-gluing loose hammer felt
> 
> On 2/4/2012 1:47 PM, Tom Gorley wrote:
> > About 6 months ago a tuner put us on to clamps that
> work perfectly for 
> > this job. I wish I could remember who, so I can give
> him credit.
> > Here is the website of the Garrett Wade Company and the
> correct page.
> >
> > http://www.garrettwade.com/ratchet-lock-spring-clamps/p/05R04.01/
> 
> 
> Sorry, I don't remember who it was either but as long as
> we're in the
> Garrett Wade catalog looking at clamps, at $6 each for ten,
> these are the
> best F clamp bargain there is. Not much good for hammer
> felt, but I have 20
> of them on a new vertically laminated bridge root in the
> shop and I really
> like them.
> 
> http://www.garrettwade.com/inexpensive-hd-12-fast-acting-clamps/p/05R08.01/
> 
> Ron N
>