Doug
I used to replace the flanges, thinking it was easier and faster. But then one day I had to do a job like that, and discovered I didn't have any Yamaha flanges, and to order just one set would have taken a week, and cost a lot more than I was willing to spend, considering the postage.
I remembered reading somewhere, (and I thought I kept the article, but can't find it), how to replace just the cords. So I'm giving you a short version of how to do this. But like Ed said, if you go to our archives, or look in back issues of the Journal, you will probably be able to find it,
Step 1. Undo the bridle straps. You probably will break a lot of them so be sure you have a set of clip on straps. (or however you want to put on new straps).
Step 2. Turn the action around and remove the dampers.
Step 3. Unscrew the little metal screw on the hammer butt and remove the hammer from the flange.
Step 4. With the action laying on the wippens, take a hacksaw blade, and scribe the grove where the old cord is glued.
Step 5. Wrap a fishing cord, preferably made out of thread, but not nylon, the same thickness as the old cord, around a 5/8" dowel a whole bunch of times. Cut the line with a knife, so that you have (eventually) 88 short pieces of cord.
Step 6. With tweezers, or your fingers, dip one end of a cord in some glue, and place it in one of the groves of the flange. It doesn't take much glue to hold it in place. I use tight bond, but use what ever glue you're comfortable with .
Step 7. By the time you get done with one section, the glue on the cord you did first will be dry. Take a small screw drive, dip it in the glue, and dab the glue in the other grove of the flange, and take your fingers, or a tweezers, and put the other end of the cord in the groove, and press it down with your finger.
Step 9. Re-assemble the action.
With a little experience you should be able to do this job in about 3 hours.
Wim Blees RPT
Mililani, HI
Original Message:
Sent: 08-15-2013 19:01
From: Douglas Laing
Subject: New Flanges or Just New Cord?
Can I get some advice from those of you who have encountered the broken Yamaha upright hammer butt spring cord? Several of them are broken on this action and obviously they should all be replaced. Do I go through the trouble of replacing the flanges which would entail, traveling, and re-aligning hammers? Or should I just keep the flanges in place, remove the hammer shank with the little metal screw and plate, then acetone the old cords away and put new cords on?
Let's hear it.
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Douglas Laing
Tuner/Technician
Safety Harbor FL
727-539-9602
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