Pianotech

  • 1.  Innovative Spring Cord Repair

    Posted 04-30-2019 13:25
      |   view attached
    Just when you think that you've seen it all…….   :-(
     
    Gotta admit though, probably won't break again before this worn-out, verdigris-encrusted action goes to the dump!   :-)


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    Terry Farrell
    Farrell Piano Service, Inc.
    Brandon, Florida
    terry@farrellpiano.com
    813-684-3505
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  • 2.  RE: Innovative Spring Cord Repair

    Posted 04-30-2019 14:10
    Hmm - spring cords are a pain

    I have a Chappell baby grand which belonged to my grandfather. It has a Schwander action with spring cords which after near 100 years are breaking one by one. I loathe the instrument but needed something on which to demonstrate equal temperament so have rescued it from the barn. One particular spring cord had broken so I used superglue, CA, to glue the broken cord together. It works, for now.

    Rather interestingly when I was tuning in France a couple of months ago I came across a modern Kimball baby grand which was an exact copy of the Chappell with all its tonal faults.

    Best wishes

    David P

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    David Pinnegar, B.Sc., A.R.C.S.
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    +44 1342 850594





  • 3.  RE: Innovative Spring Cord Repair

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-30-2019 19:53
    A customer made this repair himself when the jack got so tight the spring wasn't strong enough to reset it. It worked so I left it. Along with many of the duct tape repairs he had also made. Fortunately, (for me), the piano was finally given away to some unsuspecting soul and I will never see it again. 



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    Geoff Sykes, RPT
    Los Angeles CA
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  • 4.  RE: Innovative Spring Cord Repair

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-01-2019 09:44
      |   view attached
    Gentlemen,
    Both of these techniques are covered in Flavio von Bettendorf'sself-published technical manual Piano Repair... My Way.
    If you order today, you'll get his latest edition, complete with pagination, and his new chapter on installing bass strings...."My way." See the photo below for a teaser.

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    Scott Cole, RPT
    rvpianotuner.com
    Talent, OR
    (541-601-9033
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  • 5.  RE: Innovative Spring Cord Repair

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-01-2019 11:45
    Oh, I've got a bunch of things he ought to have included.

    Upright right pedal dowel too short? No sweat! Take a very old aluminum film can, obsolete format, and take a big fat but very short bolt with a head almost the inner diameter of the film can. Place the head of the bolt over the leather on the end of the too-short dowel (where did they get it??), then place the can over it and the top of the dowel to keep it in place.

    Don't bother with any cushioning between the film can and the metal pick up for the pedal. Excess to requirements.

    Bridle tapes broken? Don't worry -- take pieces of shoelace, put the bridle wire through one end, glue the other end to the front of the back check. It even works, sort of.

    Hammer shank broken off right at the butt? Drive two finishing nails into the butt right next to the stub, place the shank with the hammer still on it right in between them, wrap liberally with black thread, and soak with model airplane glue. So some silly nitpicker trying to replace the shank with an entire new one will try to cut into the wad of black thread and airplane glue, and the blade will meet metal. Too bad it wasn't the snap-off knife.

    Grand damper not damping? Fishing weights, about three of them, taped to the top of the damper head.

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    Susan Kline
    Philomath, Oregon
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