CAUT

  • 1.  Parchment Hinges

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-07-2018 10:18
    I was called in to look at this 1830's Brown action, brought into a cabinet maker's shop for case refinishing. The boss had successfully extracted the action and covered it with a sheet on a separate workbench, but person next removing the sheet snagged these hammers in the process.

    They want me to do the repair. They're certain they can clean out the parchment in the shank with a jeweler's saw. It looks to me that I'll have to splice on a section of parchment to replace that remaining under the wood cover on the rain and I can do an individual strip for each shank (saving me the trouble of assembling the three shanks on a single piece of parchment, "old school").

    Anyone have experience with parchment hinges?
    Any time-honored procedure (or other wisdom)?
    Where do I get the genuine parchment?



    TIA

    Bill Ballard

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    William Ballard RPT
    WBPS
    Saxtons River VT
    802-869-9107

    "Our lives contain a thousand springs
    and dies if one be gone
    Strange that a harp of a thousand strings
    should keep in tune so long."
    ...........Dr. Watts, "The Continental Harmony,1774
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  • 2.  RE: Parchment Hinges

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-07-2018 14:36
    Parchment can be had from Jurgen, pianoforte supply.com.

    The photo isn't detailed enough to tell for sure, but probably the parchment is sandwiched between the "hammer shank" proper and an additional strip of wood, which is glued to the shank with hide glue. That joint should be separated (heat, moisture, perhaps a bit of vinegar, work a thin blade between), and the remaining parchment and glue cleaned out. 

    The strip of wood on the top of the rail should be removable: pull all screws, and it should come loose (might need to work a knife between). The hinges should be glued only to the rail, not to the strip. 

    Cut your new hinges, a bit oversized, glue to the shank and glue the "retaining strip" back to the shank, clamp, let set, trim. Position the protruding hinge portion on the rail, trim as needed, glue to the rail, being ever so careful to align perfectly. Replace the strip on top of the rail.

    More detailed instructions can be found in Montal's Art of Tuning.
    Regards,
    Fred Sturm
    "I am only interested in music that is better than it can be played." Schnabel






  • 3.  RE: Parchment Hinges

    Posted 07-09-2018 15:37
    Here's the link
    http://www.pianofortesupply.com/leather/misc-leather/viennese-action-leather/vintage-piano-vellum-leather-2/

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    Jurgen Goering
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