Pianotech

  • 1.  Gluing backcheck leather

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 21 days ago
      |   view attached

    Applying hide glue to the leather strips and holding them to the backchecks made me feel klutzy, so I came up with this design on my 3d printer:

    image 
    image
    The radius is not quite what I wanted, but close enough, and I already printed 20 of them.
    Dab some glue, pull the leather with my right index/thumb, slide the caul on with the left, works great.
    I attached the .scad design and .stl if anyone's interested.
    -Jim


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    Jim Moy
    Moy Piano Service, LLC
    https://www.moypiano.com
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    Attachment(s)

    zip
    backcheck-holder.zip   3 KB 1 version


  • 2.  RE: Gluing backcheck leather

    Posted 21 days ago

    Bravo! I love this! 

    I think I need a 3D printer…



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    Vincent Chambers

    Apollo Piano | Stanford
    San Francisco, Chico CA
    (530) 924-4469 Mobile; 732-642-1100
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  • 3.  RE: Gluing backcheck leather

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 20 days ago
    Just curious about what piano this is. 
    I don't recall ever seeing upright backchecks on a grand. 


    --
    Dave Conte, RPT, CCT
    Owner, Rocky Top Piano
    Knoxville, TN
    817-307-5656







  • 4.  RE: Gluing backcheck leather

    Member
    Posted 20 days ago
    Hi,
    Sorry I can't help you regarding this piano manufacturer, but, these backchecks are on many(?) as I have recovered quite a few sets over the years. On this style the leather is glued down the face of the under-felt, often requiring replacement of both layers.
    Deb

    5 Tarr's Lane WEST
    Rockport, MA  01966
    978-546-8428






  • 5.  RE: Gluing backcheck leather

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 19 days ago

    It's a 1908 Baldwin M.



    ------------------------------
    Jim Moy
    Moy Piano Service, LLC
    http://www.moypiano.com
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  • 6.  RE: Gluing backcheck leather

    Member
    Posted 21 days ago
    Hi,

    Clever way to clamp the leather, particularly for this style backcheck. If you do a lot of backcheck recovering, you will find quite a variety of size and style that will require a different size and shape of clamp. Always new challenges!

    Deb 

    5 Tarr's Lane WEST
    Rockport, MA  01966
    978-546-8428





  • 7.  RE: Gluing backcheck leather

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 20 days ago

    Yes, typically one must glue the top and the bottom of the leather to wood under a tad of tension. This device certainly opens up the mind for thinking along this line (assuming one has a 3D printer or a friend with one, or a friend of a friend, or...)

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor 



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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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  • 8.  RE: Gluing backcheck leather

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 19 days ago

    Or you can also find online services that will let you upload the design file and they'll print and mail them to you. Or put the file on a thumb drive and take it to your local library or maker space. 3d printers are all over the place now.



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    Jim Moy
    Moy Piano Service, LLC
    http://www.moypiano.com
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  • 9.  RE: Gluing backcheck leather

    Posted 19 days ago
    Having an identifier printed on the piece would help in knowing what level they are in the future.
    Les Koltvedt
    (404) 631-7177
    LKPianos.com




  • 10.  RE: Gluing backcheck leather

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 19 days ago
      |   view attached

    Hi Deb, yes it occurred to me after I finished this set that the particular geometry may not match future work. So I cleaned up the .scad file and have posted here for future reference. It has constants defined for all the dimensions so it's easier to adapt than my original which I had kind of hacked up because I didn't know if it would be successful or not. I'm happy with it so will keep the ones I've printed, but I imagine I might end up with a set of different sizes. I'll store them in boxes right next to all the Spurlock cauls :-)



    ------------------------------
    Jim Moy
    Moy Piano Service, LLC
    http://www.moypiano.com
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    Attachment(s)

    zip
    backcheck-holder.scad.zip   1 KB 1 version