Thanks to all for your sage advice. This wanders into the "how to fire a client" topic that Ben brought up several days ago. The clients are quite nice, but I didn't "screen them out" a year ago, when I could have refused to service it based on age and likely fragility. At that time I gave it a pitch raise & fine tuning. Apparently their son was banging on the keys, resulting in the 2 shattered flanges.
I did "read the riot act" to the mom, i.e., here's Larry Fine's book with all the reasons you need a non-obsolescent instrument, etc.
There are 2 more notes that need flange replacement, and I gave up trying to extract them the other day. I'll return with new parts, lots of patience, a long table and action cradle, etc.
Yes, I need to filter out all those "less desirable" pianos from my life . . .
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Patrick Draine
Billerica MA
978-663-9690
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-23-2021 17:48
From: Patrick Draine
Subject: Old S&S vertical action service
It's been a while since I've worked on a rather old (1889) Steinway vertical. Several hammer/damper lever flanges have broken at the hammer butt side. I've got some replacement flanges ordered from PianoTek Supply, but want to improve my efficiency while working on the action.
Is it generally necessary to remove the hammer rail when removing/installing the hammer butt/flange assembly?
One of course removes the damper lever from the flange first, but I was finding trying to maneuver the hammer butt (with shank and hammer intact, and damper lever spring sticking out) a seemingly impossible feat. I may have done it in the past by taking the screw out from neighboring hammer flanges, and creating just a bit more space to get the hammer butt & flange in place.
What's the best practice?
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Patrick Draine
Billerica MA
978-663-9690
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