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  • 1.  Yamaha U-3 hammer flange cord replacement

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-03-2018 02:59
    Dear Friends,

    Several months ago the Journal featured replacement of upright hammer flange
    cords on hammer butts of the butt plate and screw design.  The approach was to
    the remove the butts, remove and replace hammer flange cords while the flanges are in place. 
    This sequence precludes flange traveling, hammer shaping and hammer to string fit. In total,
    the replacement process is more time efficient.

    A Yamaha U-3 with the wooden hammer butt flange/center pin design has the same rotted cord issue.
    Does anyone have experience with a more efficient protocol for cord replacement than substituting
    new flanges for old thereby causing the necessity for flange traveling, hammer shaping and hammer/string fit.

    Keep a song in your heart

    Ed Whitting, RPT
    South Bay Chapter


  • 2.  RE: Yamaha U-3 hammer flange cord replacement

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-03-2018 03:06
    Ed

    I've done a couple of U3 with the wooden flanges. Number all the hammers, (if they're not numbered already), and remove all the flanges from the rail. Then replace the chords, ore or less the same way as if the flanges are still on the rail. It's a little more difficult to do, but it keeps the original flanges in order, and saves a lot of time traveling and shaping the hammers.

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    Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
    Mililani, HI 96789
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Yamaha U-3 hammer flange cord replacement

    Posted 09-03-2018 08:25
    The December 2017 issue has an article that demonstrates a very accurate way to replace the cords when the hammer butts have standard birds eyes.

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    Ed Sutton
    ed440@me.com
    (980) 254-7413
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Yamaha U-3 hammer flange cord replacement

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-03-2018 16:59
    I'm not clear which cord you are replacing, but if there are no butt plates, you will need to remove the whole butt assembly (flange and hammer) from the rail. Assuming the travel paper is stuck to the flange, there should be no problem needing to re-travel, as long as you keep the flange with the same butt.

    Filing hammers would certainly be recommended, and if you are removing them from the rail, a technique of Ted Sambell's might speed things along for you. Take about 5 - 6 hammers, align them perfectly together, and clamp them in a vice. Then gang file. This will work for angled hammers as well as straight bore. No more than 6 at a time, as the flanges are wider than the hammers, and that is about the maximum the shanks will flex to allow you to do this.

    If you level your strings, mating should involve no more than a small bit of filing to make a slight adjustment to the angle of the crown. IOW, you won't need to custom file for each string.

    That's the best advice I have to offer. But plates definitely make the two cord replacement jobs more efficient, if you leave the flanges in place.
    Regards,
    Fred Sturm
    "I am only interested in music that is better than it can be played." Schnabel




    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Yamaha U-3 hammer flange cord replacement

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-03-2018 20:08
    Hi Ed --

    I second Ed's recommendation of the December, 2017 issue of the Journal, (page 15). It's almost exactly the way I do it when having to do the flanges without the butt plate and screw. With a couple of exceptions...

    I buy the cord from Yamaha. It comes already wound onto a cardboard tube and all you have to do is run a razor down one side and you have about 100 pieces cut to exact length. Yamaha part No: T0102000. About $3 if I remember correctly.

    I use a Dremel tool with a very fine blade to cut out the old cord and clean the slots. Slowly. Carefully. Once you have removed the rest rail and disconnected the bridal straps this can usually be done prior to actually removing any of the flanges from the piano. Don't forget to number the flanges before you start removing them.

    I usually use a small vice to hold the flange steady for gluing the cord in place. Especially the second side. I'll have to try Hickey's hand holding method the next time. A toothpick with just a drop of liquid hide or regular Tightbond wood glue is all you need. 

    I go through the entire action doing all the odd flanges first. Glue one side for the entire set. Start over and do the other side of the entire set. Start over and put the spring in place. Start over and put them all back in, using the even hammers for spacing. I have almost never lost any existing travel paper as most of the time, if you're careful, it will stay in place. 

    Pour yourself another beer and then go back and do the even numbered flanges.

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    Geoff Sykes, RPT
    Los Angeles CA
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Yamaha U-3 hammer flange cord replacement

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-19-2019 17:44
    Hello all.

    Could anyone comment on the springs associated with these cords being discussed? Any feelings about a separate return spring rail vs. the spring with cord combo? In my limited experience I have seen failed, weak cords in pianos where some or many are broken and the rest are prone to break when being touched. Now, to me, it just feels like I'd rather deal with just the spring itself...although I realize we can have issues with the contact point of a spring on the hammer butt...friction, noise, ect... I don't know. I guess I just don't like the little cords. Is there a safe way to regulate spring strength in the corded design? I just feel like I would rip the cord out if I'd ever have a need for more return spring power. Please enlighten me.

    Thank you.

    Cory

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    Cory Jacobson
    Campbellsport WI
    262-689-6043
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    Original Message