Pianotech

  • 1.  Repinning Steinway double butt flanges

    Posted 20 days ago

    What are the chances of successfully repining a double butt flange on a 1917 Steinway upright (without it cracking).  First damper lever in tenor section deflects when pedal is depressed, blocking hammer travel. Pin has walked halfway out, jammed against adjacent pin.  Trying to decide whether to "jimmy rig" something, leaving pin as is until necessity repining becomes imperative, or risk cracking the flange in repining. 

    Thanks. 

    -- Tim 



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    Timothy Edwards
    Beckley WV
    (740) 517-7636
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  • 2.  RE: Repinning Steinway double butt flanges

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 20 days ago

    I'm not sure why you would be worried about cracking the flange, unless it happened to you before.  Do these have the butt plates on the pin?  The Steinway uprights I worked on had them, so you just have to loosen the screw.  Then it should be easy to remove the pin from the flange, especially if it's halfway out anyway.  I have sometimes just used a narrow knife blade to push the pin back into the flange.  A little risk of tearing out the felt, but it's loose anyway and most of the time that works, though temporarily.  I would try to fix it properly rather than "jerry rigging" it.



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    Paul McCloud, RPT
    Accutone Piano Service
    www.AccutonePianoService.com
    pavadasa@gmail.com
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  • 3.  RE: Repinning Steinway double butt flanges

    Posted 20 days ago

    Hi Paul, 

    Yes.  I've encountered cracked flanges on old uprights in the past.  Should that be the case, are these "double butt flanges" available anywhere?  I don't remember seeing them.  Didn't see the "butt plate" you referred to. 



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    Timothy Edwards
    Beckley WV
    (740) 517-7636
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Repinning Steinway double butt flanges

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 20 days ago

    Tim,

    From your description it sounds like the damper lever "butt plate" screw loosened long ago (no one maintained things in there), and the pin traveled out, probably creating a bit of damage to the bushing(s) over time. I would think the solution is to inspect tge damper side of the flange and get that back to where it should be. If needed, rebush that side of it...etc.

    Another possibility is that the flange itself has cracked down the middle. That's another thing entirely (but easily solved, if so). 

    Typically, if you're careful and conservative, you can successfully repin those parts (up to a point). 

    Verdigris?  What about that?

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor 



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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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  • 5.  RE: Repinning Steinway double butt flanges

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 17 days ago

    Tim,

    I'm not sure which pin you are saying is walking, the butt or the damper. In any case, I'm not sure why the flange would crack with repinning. I have had them crack when rebushing. Are you maybe worried about the butt cracking?

    In any case, if one of these old parts cracks, CA or 5 min epoxy it back together and carry on.



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    John Pope
    University of Kentucky School of Music
    Lexington, KY
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Repinning Steinway double butt flanges

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 16 days ago

    I would reccomend replacing the damper levers. As the butt plate screw is tightened they often split.



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    Parker Leigh RPT
    Winchester VA
    (540) 722-3865
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Repinning Steinway double butt flanges

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 16 days ago
    If you've never worked on these Steinway upright actions it's worth taking the time to develop a basic knowledge and skill set.  The damper levers have butt plates, and a couple turns of the screw with a follow-up push to free the plate and the lever will be free of the centerpin sitting in its slot, and you can gently extract downward.  Tenor ones are the hardest because the overdamper keeps it tangled. 

    It's possible to then remove the hammer butt/flange - it's tricky and you're untangling again as the damper return spring on the flange wants to tangle too.   Make sure you have a good screw holding tool so you don't lose the hammer flange screw.

    The easiest way to remove hammer butt assemblies is to remove the hammer rail first.  Though I often repair without doing this, it's worth the trouble.  There is a hanger at the end with two screws so you don't have to bend any hangers.  You'll have to loosen or remove a flange in the mid treble too, so that that hanger will fully extract from its bushing hole.

    It's imperative on assembly that the damper lever is positioned correctly in the centerpin (aligning the slot).  A big problem is finding misaligned levers with extra impressions from previous misalignments.  Once aligned, tighten but don't be too forceful as these levers can break at the screw hole.  Ditto with handling the tightened lever - be gentle.

    If there's a long history of breakage there take Parker's advice and replace the levers, but that's a very time consuming and costly job with choices for improvement of design.

    All parts are available through Pacific Piano Supply who provides them to the other suppliers including Schaff.  Www.pacificpiano.com

    Regards,

    Bill

    Bill Shull, RPT, M.Mus.
    www.shullpiano.com
    www.periodpiano.org
    909 796-4226

    Sent from my iPhone



    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Repinning Steinway double butt flanges

    Posted 16 days ago

    Thank you William. 

    That is great information.  This is the first "ancient" Steinway upright I've worked on.  Having worked most of my life in Appalachia, and spending a good amount of time with old uprights; I've encountered my share of old, brittle wood, snapping hammer shanks, cracked flanges, cracked soundboards and bridges, and bridges, caps and aprons that have come unglued.  One look at those double-butt flanges generated a fair bit of anxiety, so I "punted" until I could gather more information, and perhaps a replacement part or two.  

    Thanks for the info!



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    Timothy Edwards
    Beckley WV
    (740) 517-7636
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    Original Message