CAUT

  • 1.  Square Grand Jack Springs

    Posted 04-17-2014 14:26
    This message has been cross posted to the following Discussions: Pianotech and CAUT .
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    Hi all, and thank you for your kind and helpful replies to previously posted questions,

    I have need for resources for a repair/restoration project of an 1880 Chickering Square Grand and an 1866 Steinway Square which will follow the Chickering.  Currently I am looking for a source of the small jack spring to replace fatigued and broken springs.  Or, will I have to make the springs? Also any other information you would like to share is appreciated. 

    Henry


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    Henry Nicolaides
    Piano Technician
    Southern Illinois University
    Carbondale, Illinois
    email: henryn@siu.edu
    Phone: 618-967-3796

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  • 2.  RE:Square Grand Jack Springs

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-22-2014 18:18
    I don't have a source, have wondered myself. When the loop at the end, to which the thread attaches, has broken, I have simply bent a couple coils from the spring part to make a new loop. Making them yourself would be pretty tedious, considering the number of turns. Abel does quite a bit in the way of providing parts for obsolete pianos. I wonder if they would be willing to supply such springs. There is probably a sufficient demand somewhere - more in Europe than in the US I suspect - to make it worth the trouble. 

    There are also several spring manufacturers who will manufacture to samples/specs. For instance,
    http://www.msspring.com/index.html
    http://www.springsfast.com/
    https://www.centuryspring.com/
    I have no experience with this, but maybe someone else does. I know that if I were planning on wholesale replacement, I would look into having them made rather than doing it myself. And there may be something someone stocks that can be made to work.

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    Fred Sturm
    University of New Mexico
    fssturm@unm.edu
    http://fredsturm.net
    "When I smell a flower, I don't think about how it was cultivated. I like to listen to music the same way." -Federico Mompou
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