Pianotech

I've run into a problem with a damper that has stripped threads inside the barrel (block) that connects the damper wire to the damper head. It has a metal "screw" with loose threads that correspond with loose threads in the inside of the barrel, which are just part of the wood. Is there a quick fix for this? I was thinking of gluing in a dowel into the hole and then drilling the dowel to correspond with the screw's size, but I worry that the threads in the screw won't tap into the wood properly or be strong enough to hold the damper head on the wire. 

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CCB
Laie, HI
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I've run into a problem with a damper that has stripped threads inside the barrel (block) that connects the damper wire to the damper head. It has a metal "screw" with loose threads that correspond with loose threads in the inside of the barrel, which are just part of the wood. Is there a quick fix for this? I was thinking of gluing in a dowel into the hole and then drilling the dowel to correspond with the screw's size, but I worry that the threads in the screw won't tap into the wood properly or be strong enough to hold the damper head on the wire. 

------------------------------
CCB
Laie, HI
------------------------------

Can we clear up some nomenclature? What you call the "barrel" (connecting the damper wire to the damper head) sounds like the damper post (the vertical block wood which holds the bottom end of the damper wire, which itself is pinned to and pivots on the horizontal damper lever. What most of us know as the "barrel" is the brass cylinder, installed horizontally in the post, with a vertical hole through it, to hold the bottom the bottom end of the damper wire. The barrel also has a threaded horizontal center for the set screw to hold the damper wire in place.

For all of the 19th century, Stwy damper posts had no barrels, simply the threaded set screw. Over the decades, the threads in the wooden post, put there by the set crews, would strip, or worse, turning the set screw would split the post.

If that is your situation, it's a common one, for which there will be many suggestions.

------------------------------
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
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-16-2023 13:41
From: Charles Bradshaw
Subject: Advice for Damper Head block

I've run into a problem with a damper that has stripped threads inside the barrel (block) that connects the damper wire to the damper head. It has a metal "screw" with loose threads that correspond with loose threads in the inside of the barrel, which are just part of the wood. Is there a quick fix for this? I was thinking of gluing in a dowel into the hole and then drilling the dowel to correspond with the screw's size, but I worry that the threads in the screw won't tap into the wood properly or be strong enough to hold the damper head on the wire. 

------------------------------
CCB
Laie, HI
------------------------------

Can we clear up some nomenclature? What you call the "barrel" (connecting the damper wire to the damper head) sounds like the damper post (the vertical block wood which holds the bottom end of the damper wire, which itself is pinned to and pivots on the horizontal damper lever. What most of us know as the "barrel" is the brass cylinder, installed horizontally in the post, with a vertical hole through it, to hold the bottom the bottom end of the damper wire. The barrel also has a threaded horizontal center for the set screw to hold the damper wire in place.

For all of the 19th century, Stwy damper posts had no barrels, simply the threaded set screw. Over the decades, the threads in the wooden post, put there by the set crews, would strip, or worse, turning the set screw would split the post.

If that is your situation, it's a common one, for which there will be many suggestions.

------------------------------
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

Original Message:
Sent: 12-16-2023 13:41
From: Charles Bradshaw
Subject: Advice for Damper Head block

I've run into a problem with a damper that has stripped threads inside the barrel (block) that connects the damper wire to the damper head. It has a metal "screw" with loose threads that correspond with loose threads in the inside of the barrel, which are just part of the wood. Is there a quick fix for this? I was thinking of gluing in a dowel into the hole and then drilling the dowel to correspond with the screw's size, but I worry that the threads in the screw won't tap into the wood properly or be strong enough to hold the damper head on the wire. 

------------------------------
CCB
Laie, HI
------------------------------

The only threaded damper wire I ever saw was on late-19 Century Chickering grands from the top of the wire into the damper head. Thank, but no thanks, to whosoever's idea it was, I saw no use for its delicate fine-tuning of the head's lateral position

Can we clear up some nomenclature? What you call the "barrel" (connecting the damper wire to the damper head) sounds like the damper post (the vertical block wood which holds the bottom end of the damper wire, which itself is pinned to and pivots on the horizontal damper lever. What most of us know as the "barrel" is the brass cylinder, installed horizontally in the post, with a vertical hole through it, to hold the bottom the bottom end of the damper wire. The barrel also has a threaded horizontal center for the set screw to hold the damper wire in place.

For all of the 19th century, Stwy damper posts had no barrels, simply the threaded set screw. Over the decades, the threads in the wooden post, put there by the set crews, would strip, or worse, turning the set screw would split the post.

If that is your situation, it's a common one, for which there will be many suggestions.

------------------------------
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

Original Message:
Sent: 12-16-2023 13:41
From: Charles Bradshaw
Subject: Advice for Damper Head block

I've run into a problem with a damper that has stripped threads inside the barrel (block) that connects the damper wire to the damper head. It has a metal "screw" with loose threads that correspond with loose threads in the inside of the barrel, which are just part of the wood. Is there a quick fix for this? I was thinking of gluing in a dowel into the hole and then drilling the dowel to correspond with the screw's size, but I worry that the threads in the screw won't tap into the wood properly or be strong enough to hold the damper head on the wire. 

------------------------------
CCB
Laie, HI
------------------------------

The only threaded damper wire I ever saw was on late-19 Century Chickering grands from the top of the wire into the damper head. Thank, but no thanks, to whosoever's idea it was, I saw no use for its delicate fine-tuning of the head's lateral position

Can we clear up some nomenclature? What you call the "barrel" (connecting the damper wire to the damper head) sounds like the damper post (the vertical block wood which holds the bottom end of the damper wire, which itself is pinned to and pivots on the horizontal damper lever. What most of us know as the "barrel" is the brass cylinder, installed horizontally in the post, with a vertical hole through it, to hold the bottom the bottom end of the damper wire. The barrel also has a threaded horizontal center for the set screw to hold the damper wire in place.

For all of the 19th century, Stwy damper posts had no barrels, simply the threaded set screw. Over the decades, the threads in the wooden post, put there by the set crews, would strip, or worse, turning the set screw would split the post.

If that is your situation, it's a common one, for which there will be many suggestions.

------------------------------
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

Original Message:
Sent: 12-16-2023 13:41
From: Charles Bradshaw
Subject: Advice for Damper Head block

I've run into a problem with a damper that has stripped threads inside the barrel (block) that connects the damper wire to the damper head. It has a metal "screw" with loose threads that correspond with loose threads in the inside of the barrel, which are just part of the wood. Is there a quick fix for this? I was thinking of gluing in a dowel into the hole and then drilling the dowel to correspond with the screw's size, but I worry that the threads in the screw won't tap into the wood properly or be strong enough to hold the damper head on the wire. 

------------------------------
CCB
Laie, HI
------------------------------

I've run into a problem with a damper that has stripped threads inside the barrel (block) that connects the damper wire to the damper head. It has a metal "screw" with loose threads that correspond with loose threads in the inside of the barrel, which are just part of the wood. Is there a quick fix for this? I was thinking of gluing in a dowel into the hole and then drilling the dowel to correspond with the screw's size, but I worry that the threads in the screw won't tap into the wood properly or be strong enough to hold the damper head on the wire. 

------------------------------
CCB
Laie, HI
------------------------------

I've run into a problem with a damper that has stripped threads inside the barrel (block) that connects the damper wire to the damper head. It has a metal "screw" with loose threads that correspond with loose threads in the inside of the barrel, which are just part of the wood. Is there a quick fix for this? I was thinking of gluing in a dowel into the hole and then drilling the dowel to correspond with the screw's size, but I worry that the threads in the screw won't tap into the wood properly or be strong enough to hold the damper head on the wire. 

------------------------------
CCB
Laie, HI
------------------------------

Though I've not tried it, here's what I would do.  Remove the set screw and spray it with ProTek or other mold-release.  Put a drop of CA into the hole, then insert the set screw.  Since it's lubed, the screw won't freeze in the hole.  If it won't hold, remove the screw, lube the set screw again, and put more CA glue.  It will build up the threads.  I've done this with capstans that were too loose. 
Plan B:  If there's room, drill another hole just above or below.  Best done on a drill press, if you can get it out of the piano.
Plan C: Insert a piece of thread into the hole saturated with wood glue.  Or a piece of very thin wire.
Plan D: Find a screw with slightly larger diameter, drill out the hole (or not).
Plan E: Drill the hole for a barrel, convert it to modern type.  The barrel doesn't have to be glued in, just inserted so that the hole lines up in the wood.
Not in order above, whatever works.
Good luck.

------------------------------
Paul McCloud, RPT
Accutone Piano Service
www.AccutonePianoService.com
pavadasa@gmail.com

Original Message:
Sent: 12-16-2023 13:41
From: Charles Bradshaw
Subject: Advice for Damper Head block

I've run into a problem with a damper that has stripped threads inside the barrel (block) that connects the damper wire to the damper head. It has a metal "screw" with loose threads that correspond with loose threads in the inside of the barrel, which are just part of the wood. Is there a quick fix for this? I was thinking of gluing in a dowel into the hole and then drilling the dowel to correspond with the screw's size, but I worry that the threads in the screw won't tap into the wood properly or be strong enough to hold the damper head on the wire. 

------------------------------
CCB
Laie, HI
------------------------------

I've run into a problem with a damper that has stripped threads inside the barrel (block) that connects the damper wire to the damper head. It has a metal "screw" with loose threads that correspond with loose threads in the inside of the barrel, which are just part of the wood. Is there a quick fix for this? I was thinking of gluing in a dowel into the hole and then drilling the dowel to correspond with the screw's size, but I worry that the threads in the screw won't tap into the wood properly or be strong enough to hold the damper head on the wire. 

------------------------------
CCB
Laie, HI
------------------------------

I've run into a problem with a damper that has stripped threads inside the barrel (block) that connects the damper wire to the damper head. It has a metal "screw" with loose threads that correspond with loose threads in the inside of the barrel, which are just part of the wood. Is there a quick fix for this? I was thinking of gluing in a dowel into the hole and then drilling the dowel to correspond with the screw's size, but I worry that the threads in the screw won't tap into the wood properly or be strong enough to hold the damper head on the wire. 

------------------------------
CCB
Laie, HI
------------------------------