[pianotech] Trouble Jacks - Should be Kranich & Bach Jacks

[Joseph Garrett]

Noah said: "I'm regulating a 1916 Kranich and Bach Grand #57581, and there
are a couple
broken jacks. I have the set of Tokiwa wippen samples (unfortunately it is
missing one of the wippen samples - maybe the very one i need), but none of
them match this strange wippen. The wip flange lays horizontally instead of
vertical, which isn't a problem. However the jack tip is larger than any of
the others. The sample jack that most closely matches the K&B jack is TWR
as can be seen in image 2287. However, the balancier is far too long.
Sample TWK is the only one that matches the balancier length, but there is
a rep spring attached behind the wip flange screw that is lacking in the
K&B. All the other wippens are too large: that is, the balancier butts into
the hammer rail. TWU-1 and TWU-3 have the horizontal wip flange
configuration, but again the balancier is too long.
 
Photo 2286 shows the K&B wippen, and 2284 shows the configuration of the
wippen/jack connection, which is old-fashioned and outdated, and not
available as far as I know.
 
Regluing the jack is sometimes an option, but not in this case as one jack
foot is missing, and the other is broken in 2 places including where the
center pin goes through.
 
There are 2 possible solutions as far as I can tell:
1) obtain the proper jack, or
2) cut off the extra wippen tail section of TWK.
 
Option 2 is risky, since I still don't know if all the other specs would
match up once I altered it.
 
Any ideas?"

Noah,
1st, there are several configurations of K&B Jacks. Second, I may have what
you are looking for, in N.O.S. Third, I can make exact duplicates. All I
need is a good sample sent to me. Yes, I will return it, plus however many
you require of the duplicates.
Regards,
Joe


Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
Captain of the Tool Police
Squares R I