Pianotech

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

I have gotten deep into it and will the action out in the morning . I secured all of the connector wires using 11 inch zip ties around the hammer rest rail and aluminum corner molding. I almost had it out but it is not easy to dead lift it so I am going to jerry rig a lifting handle using some turnbuckles and wire rope and come straight up in the middle. I am aware of the plastic issue and have a bag of the new Vargas  elbows. The piano is in a beach home owned by two retired teachers and she plays it during her summer stays. Home is in the upstate and both are Clemson grads. The job is a bit of a lunch eater but also a learning experience (as in I will never do this again) I work on lots of expensive pianos but every once in a while we have to recognize these pianos have a story behind them. I want it all back together and playable by the end of the day tomorrow . I know the plastic is brittle and likely to shatter but it is also close to 75 years old  

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

James, please take pics of the loose strip of wood under the damper lift rods. Really curious about that. Also check the damper rod hinge-which may not be metal- and the damper rod hinge pin for breaks.

I have gotten deep into it and will the action out in the morning . I secured all of the connector wires using 11 inch zip ties around the hammer rest rail and aluminum corner molding. I almost had it out but it is not easy to dead lift it so I am going to jerry rig a lifting handle using some turnbuckles and wire rope and come straight up in the middle. I am aware of the plastic issue and have a bag of the new Vargas  elbows. The piano is in a beach home owned by two retired teachers and she plays it during her summer stays. Home is in the upstate and both are Clemson grads. The job is a bit of a lunch eater but also a learning experience (as in I will never do this again) I work on lots of expensive pianos but every once in a while we have to recognize these pianos have a story behind them. I want it all back together and playable by the end of the day tomorrow . I know the plastic is brittle and likely to shatter but it is also close to 75 years old  

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

I've run into this problem too; if it wasn't a Winter the action components came from the same source (American-Aeolian brands, probably Pratt-Read action). The "strip of wood" is necessary so it features a stable grain of wood, so the screws aren't stripping out prematurely. The hammer flange screws are oriented 90 degrees to the damper flange screws, of course.

It's a wonder that the glue joint has survived this long, in James Kelly's hyper humid climate (or in my New England area with the alternately very dry winter RH followed by high summer RH). As Fenton & others have suggested, the plastic parts will be an ongoing nightmare of shattering parts in this spinet (no fun removing that action!).

James, please take pics of the loose strip of wood under the damper lift rods. Really curious about that. Also check the damper rod hinge-which may not be metal- and the damper rod hinge pin for breaks.

I have gotten deep into it and will the action out in the morning . I secured all of the connector wires using 11 inch zip ties around the hammer rest rail and aluminum corner molding. I almost had it out but it is not easy to dead lift it so I am going to jerry rig a lifting handle using some turnbuckles and wire rope and come straight up in the middle. I am aware of the plastic issue and have a bag of the new Vargas  elbows. The piano is in a beach home owned by two retired teachers and she plays it during her summer stays. Home is in the upstate and both are Clemson grads. The job is a bit of a lunch eater but also a learning experience (as in I will never do this again) I work on lots of expensive pianos but every once in a while we have to recognize these pianos have a story behind them. I want it all back together and playable by the end of the day tomorrow . I know the plastic is brittle and likely to shatter but it is also close to 75 years old  

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

I have finally gotten the action out and will post pictures tomorrow . The action rail is split from one end to the other. There was a small of wood at the bass end but it must have fallen out when I hoisted the Pratt Read action out. I used a big U clamp on the center action bracket and held the bass end bracket as I heaved  away. The action of course was heavy but its low position made it feel very heavy. It now sits on a table outside the piano while I work up an estimate for then owners. It is remarkable that after all these years there is only 1 broken elbow. The damper flanges are made of the same brittle plastic as the elbows. I am looking for time estimates from techs who have done this repair as well as suggestions/tips/techniques. I want to avoid even touching the damper flanges with a screwdriver although the repair may require it to clamp the rail pieces together . I will search the Journals as well 

I've run into this problem too; if it wasn't a Winter the action components came from the same source (American-Aeolian brands, probably Pratt-Read action). The "strip of wood" is necessary so it features a stable grain of wood, so the screws aren't stripping out prematurely. The hammer flange screws are oriented 90 degrees to the damper flange screws, of course.

It's a wonder that the glue joint has survived this long, in James Kelly's hyper humid climate (or in my New England area with the alternately very dry winter RH followed by high summer RH). As Fenton & others have suggested, the plastic parts will be an ongoing nightmare of shattering parts in this spinet (no fun removing that action!).

James, please take pics of the loose strip of wood under the damper lift rods. Really curious about that. Also check the damper rod hinge-which may not be metal- and the damper rod hinge pin for breaks.

I have gotten deep into it and will the action out in the morning . I secured all of the connector wires using 11 inch zip ties around the hammer rest rail and aluminum corner molding. I almost had it out but it is not easy to dead lift it so I am going to jerry rig a lifting handle using some turnbuckles and wire rope and come straight up in the middle. I am aware of the plastic issue and have a bag of the new Vargas  elbows. The piano is in a beach home owned by two retired teachers and she plays it during her summer stays. Home is in the upstate and both are Clemson grads. The job is a bit of a lunch eater but also a learning experience (as in I will never do this again) I work on lots of expensive pianos but every once in a while we have to recognize these pianos have a story behind them. I want it all back together and playable by the end of the day tomorrow . I know the plastic is brittle and likely to shatter but it is also close to 75 years old  

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

James, I sent you some details about how I approach split action rails. If this one is split from one end to another I don't see how you are going to do it without removing at least some of the damper flanges so you can clamp and/or pin the two pieces together. You're also going to have to remove at least some of the whippen flanges for the same reason. If you can clamp it at the ends and maybe in front of an action bracket first maybe to can drill some guide holes to index the two parts before you proceed. You're probably going to want to remove the hammer spring rail. Even wood flanges on the whippens have a tendency to fall apart as they were laminated from strips with the same bad glue they used on the action rail.

Having the action out of the piano and on the bench makes the damper flanges all the more vulnerable, I think you'll have to be extremely lucky to do the repair and get it back in the piano unscathed. However, it may be that the flanges aren't brittle, sometimes they get leather hard. 

At any rate I think you should give a wide range depending on whether or not you encounter collateral damage. Worst case scenario is replacing all the plastic flanges. You might be looking at anywhere from a half day to 3 days. Have replacement parts on hand.

Imo

I have finally gotten the action out and will post pictures tomorrow . The action rail is split from one end to the other. There was a small of wood at the bass end but it must have fallen out when I hoisted the Pratt Read action out. I used a big U clamp on the center action bracket and held the bass end bracket as I heaved  away. The action of course was heavy but its low position made it feel very heavy. It now sits on a table outside the piano while I work up an estimate for then owners. It is remarkable that after all these years there is only 1 broken elbow. The damper flanges are made of the same brittle plastic as the elbows. I am looking for time estimates from techs who have done this repair as well as suggestions/tips/techniques. I want to avoid even touching the damper flanges with a screwdriver although the repair may require it to clamp the rail pieces together . I will search the Journals as well 

I've run into this problem too; if it wasn't a Winter the action components came from the same source (American-Aeolian brands, probably Pratt-Read action). The "strip of wood" is necessary so it features a stable grain of wood, so the screws aren't stripping out prematurely. The hammer flange screws are oriented 90 degrees to the damper flange screws, of course.

It's a wonder that the glue joint has survived this long, in James Kelly's hyper humid climate (or in my New England area with the alternately very dry winter RH followed by high summer RH). As Fenton & others have suggested, the plastic parts will be an ongoing nightmare of shattering parts in this spinet (no fun removing that action!).

James, please take pics of the loose strip of wood under the damper lift rods. Really curious about that. Also check the damper rod hinge-which may not be metal- and the damper rod hinge pin for breaks.

I have gotten deep into it and will the action out in the morning . I secured all of the connector wires using 11 inch zip ties around the hammer rest rail and aluminum corner molding. I almost had it out but it is not easy to dead lift it so I am going to jerry rig a lifting handle using some turnbuckles and wire rope and come straight up in the middle. I am aware of the plastic issue and have a bag of the new Vargas  elbows. The piano is in a beach home owned by two retired teachers and she plays it during her summer stays. Home is in the upstate and both are Clemson grads. The job is a bit of a lunch eater but also a learning experience (as in I will never do this again) I work on lots of expensive pianos but every once in a while we have to recognize these pianos have a story behind them. I want it all back together and playable by the end of the day tomorrow . I know the plastic is brittle and likely to shatter but it is also close to 75 years old  

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

James,

There comes a time when things must return to the dust from which they were made. Though I earlier wrote that if they've got the money...why not?...I am now retracting that and strongly suggest a respectful funeral discourse. 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

James, I sent you some details about how I approach split action rails. If this one is split from one end to another I don't see how you are going to do it without removing at least some of the damper flanges so you can clamp and/or pin the two pieces together. You're also going to have to remove at least some of the whippen flanges for the same reason. If you can clamp it at the ends and maybe in front of an action bracket first maybe to can drill some guide holes to index the two parts before you proceed. You're probably going to want to remove the hammer spring rail. Even wood flanges on the whippens have a tendency to fall apart as they were laminated from strips with the same bad glue they used on the action rail.

Having the action out of the piano and on the bench makes the damper flanges all the more vulnerable, I think you'll have to be extremely lucky to do the repair and get it back in the piano unscathed. However, it may be that the flanges aren't brittle, sometimes they get leather hard. 

At any rate I think you should give a wide range depending on whether or not you encounter collateral damage. Worst case scenario is replacing all the plastic flanges. You might be looking at anywhere from a half day to 3 days. Have replacement parts on hand.

Imo

I have finally gotten the action out and will post pictures tomorrow . The action rail is split from one end to the other. There was a small of wood at the bass end but it must have fallen out when I hoisted the Pratt Read action out. I used a big U clamp on the center action bracket and held the bass end bracket as I heaved  away. The action of course was heavy but its low position made it feel very heavy. It now sits on a table outside the piano while I work up an estimate for then owners. It is remarkable that after all these years there is only 1 broken elbow. The damper flanges are made of the same brittle plastic as the elbows. I am looking for time estimates from techs who have done this repair as well as suggestions/tips/techniques. I want to avoid even touching the damper flanges with a screwdriver although the repair may require it to clamp the rail pieces together . I will search the Journals as well 

I've run into this problem too; if it wasn't a Winter the action components came from the same source (American-Aeolian brands, probably Pratt-Read action). The "strip of wood" is necessary so it features a stable grain of wood, so the screws aren't stripping out prematurely. The hammer flange screws are oriented 90 degrees to the damper flange screws, of course.

It's a wonder that the glue joint has survived this long, in James Kelly's hyper humid climate (or in my New England area with the alternately very dry winter RH followed by high summer RH). As Fenton & others have suggested, the plastic parts will be an ongoing nightmare of shattering parts in this spinet (no fun removing that action!).

James, please take pics of the loose strip of wood under the damper lift rods. Really curious about that. Also check the damper rod hinge-which may not be metal- and the damper rod hinge pin for breaks.

I have gotten deep into it and will the action out in the morning . I secured all of the connector wires using 11 inch zip ties around the hammer rest rail and aluminum corner molding. I almost had it out but it is not easy to dead lift it so I am going to jerry rig a lifting handle using some turnbuckles and wire rope and come straight up in the middle. I am aware of the plastic issue and have a bag of the new Vargas  elbows. The piano is in a beach home owned by two retired teachers and she plays it during her summer stays. Home is in the upstate and both are Clemson grads. The job is a bit of a lunch eater but also a learning experience (as in I will never do this again) I work on lots of expensive pianos but every once in a while we have to recognize these pianos have a story behind them. I want it all back together and playable by the end of the day tomorrow . I know the plastic is brittle and likely to shatter but it is also close to 75 years old  

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

Time for a new piano shaped object from Facebook marketplace 

James,

There comes a time when things must return to the dust from which they were made. Though I earlier wrote that if they've got the money...why not?...I am now retracting that and strongly suggest a respectful funeral discourse. 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

James, I sent you some details about how I approach split action rails. If this one is split from one end to another I don't see how you are going to do it without removing at least some of the damper flanges so you can clamp and/or pin the two pieces together. You're also going to have to remove at least some of the whippen flanges for the same reason. If you can clamp it at the ends and maybe in front of an action bracket first maybe to can drill some guide holes to index the two parts before you proceed. You're probably going to want to remove the hammer spring rail. Even wood flanges on the whippens have a tendency to fall apart as they were laminated from strips with the same bad glue they used on the action rail.

Having the action out of the piano and on the bench makes the damper flanges all the more vulnerable, I think you'll have to be extremely lucky to do the repair and get it back in the piano unscathed. However, it may be that the flanges aren't brittle, sometimes they get leather hard. 

At any rate I think you should give a wide range depending on whether or not you encounter collateral damage. Worst case scenario is replacing all the plastic flanges. You might be looking at anywhere from a half day to 3 days. Have replacement parts on hand.

Imo

I have finally gotten the action out and will post pictures tomorrow . The action rail is split from one end to the other. There was a small of wood at the bass end but it must have fallen out when I hoisted the Pratt Read action out. I used a big U clamp on the center action bracket and held the bass end bracket as I heaved  away. The action of course was heavy but its low position made it feel very heavy. It now sits on a table outside the piano while I work up an estimate for then owners. It is remarkable that after all these years there is only 1 broken elbow. The damper flanges are made of the same brittle plastic as the elbows. I am looking for time estimates from techs who have done this repair as well as suggestions/tips/techniques. I want to avoid even touching the damper flanges with a screwdriver although the repair may require it to clamp the rail pieces together . I will search the Journals as well 

I've run into this problem too; if it wasn't a Winter the action components came from the same source (American-Aeolian brands, probably Pratt-Read action). The "strip of wood" is necessary so it features a stable grain of wood, so the screws aren't stripping out prematurely. The hammer flange screws are oriented 90 degrees to the damper flange screws, of course.

It's a wonder that the glue joint has survived this long, in James Kelly's hyper humid climate (or in my New England area with the alternately very dry winter RH followed by high summer RH). As Fenton & others have suggested, the plastic parts will be an ongoing nightmare of shattering parts in this spinet (no fun removing that action!).

James, please take pics of the loose strip of wood under the damper lift rods. Really curious about that. Also check the damper rod hinge-which may not be metal- and the damper rod hinge pin for breaks.

I have gotten deep into it and will the action out in the morning . I secured all of the connector wires using 11 inch zip ties around the hammer rest rail and aluminum corner molding. I almost had it out but it is not easy to dead lift it so I am going to jerry rig a lifting handle using some turnbuckles and wire rope and come straight up in the middle. I am aware of the plastic issue and have a bag of the new Vargas  elbows. The piano is in a beach home owned by two retired teachers and she plays it during her summer stays. Home is in the upstate and both are Clemson grads. The job is a bit of a lunch eater but also a learning experience (as in I will never do this again) I work on lots of expensive pianos but every once in a while we have to recognize these pianos have a story behind them. I want it all back together and playable by the end of the day tomorrow . I know the plastic is brittle and likely to shatter but it is also close to 75 years old  

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

James, I sent you some details about how I approach split action rails. If this one is split from one end to another I don't see how you are going to do it without removing at least some of the damper flanges so you can clamp and/or pin the two pieces together. You're also going to have to remove at least some of the whippen flanges for the same reason. If you can clamp it at the ends and maybe in front of an action bracket first maybe to can drill some guide holes to index the two parts before you proceed. You're probably going to want to remove the hammer spring rail. Even wood flanges on the whippens have a tendency to fall apart as they were laminated from strips with the same bad glue they used on the action rail.

Having the action out of the piano and on the bench makes the damper flanges all the more vulnerable, I think you'll have to be extremely lucky to do the repair and get it back in the piano unscathed. However, it may be that the flanges aren't brittle, sometimes they get leather hard. 

At any rate I think you should give a wide range depending on whether or not you encounter collateral damage. Worst case scenario is replacing all the plastic flanges. You might be looking at anywhere from a half day to 3 days. Have replacement parts on hand.

Imo

I have finally gotten the action out and will post pictures tomorrow . The action rail is split from one end to the other. There was a small of wood at the bass end but it must have fallen out when I hoisted the Pratt Read action out. I used a big U clamp on the center action bracket and held the bass end bracket as I heaved  away. The action of course was heavy but its low position made it feel very heavy. It now sits on a table outside the piano while I work up an estimate for then owners. It is remarkable that after all these years there is only 1 broken elbow. The damper flanges are made of the same brittle plastic as the elbows. I am looking for time estimates from techs who have done this repair as well as suggestions/tips/techniques. I want to avoid even touching the damper flanges with a screwdriver although the repair may require it to clamp the rail pieces together . I will search the Journals as well 

I've run into this problem too; if it wasn't a Winter the action components came from the same source (American-Aeolian brands, probably Pratt-Read action). The "strip of wood" is necessary so it features a stable grain of wood, so the screws aren't stripping out prematurely. The hammer flange screws are oriented 90 degrees to the damper flange screws, of course.

It's a wonder that the glue joint has survived this long, in James Kelly's hyper humid climate (or in my New England area with the alternately very dry winter RH followed by high summer RH). As Fenton & others have suggested, the plastic parts will be an ongoing nightmare of shattering parts in this spinet (no fun removing that action!).

James, please take pics of the loose strip of wood under the damper lift rods. Really curious about that. Also check the damper rod hinge-which may not be metal- and the damper rod hinge pin for breaks.

I have gotten deep into it and will the action out in the morning . I secured all of the connector wires using 11 inch zip ties around the hammer rest rail and aluminum corner molding. I almost had it out but it is not easy to dead lift it so I am going to jerry rig a lifting handle using some turnbuckles and wire rope and come straight up in the middle. I am aware of the plastic issue and have a bag of the new Vargas  elbows. The piano is in a beach home owned by two retired teachers and she plays it during her summer stays. Home is in the upstate and both are Clemson grads. The job is a bit of a lunch eater but also a learning experience (as in I will never do this again) I work on lots of expensive pianos but every once in a while we have to recognize these pianos have a story behind them. I want it all back together and playable by the end of the day tomorrow . I know the plastic is brittle and likely to shatter but it is also close to 75 years old  

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

James, I sent you some details about how I approach split action rails. If this one is split from one end to another I don't see how you are going to do it without removing at least some of the damper flanges so you can clamp and/or pin the two pieces together. You're also going to have to remove at least some of the whippen flanges for the same reason. If you can clamp it at the ends and maybe in front of an action bracket first maybe to can drill some guide holes to index the two parts before you proceed. You're probably going to want to remove the hammer spring rail. Even wood flanges on the whippens have a tendency to fall apart as they were laminated from strips with the same bad glue they used on the action rail.

Having the action out of the piano and on the bench makes the damper flanges all the more vulnerable, I think you'll have to be extremely lucky to do the repair and get it back in the piano unscathed. However, it may be that the flanges aren't brittle, sometimes they get leather hard. 

At any rate I think you should give a wide range depending on whether or not you encounter collateral damage. Worst case scenario is replacing all the plastic flanges. You might be looking at anywhere from a half day to 3 days. Have replacement parts on hand.

Imo

I have finally gotten the action out and will post pictures tomorrow . The action rail is split from one end to the other. There was a small of wood at the bass end but it must have fallen out when I hoisted the Pratt Read action out. I used a big U clamp on the center action bracket and held the bass end bracket as I heaved  away. The action of course was heavy but its low position made it feel very heavy. It now sits on a table outside the piano while I work up an estimate for then owners. It is remarkable that after all these years there is only 1 broken elbow. The damper flanges are made of the same brittle plastic as the elbows. I am looking for time estimates from techs who have done this repair as well as suggestions/tips/techniques. I want to avoid even touching the damper flanges with a screwdriver although the repair may require it to clamp the rail pieces together . I will search the Journals as well 

I've run into this problem too; if it wasn't a Winter the action components came from the same source (American-Aeolian brands, probably Pratt-Read action). The "strip of wood" is necessary so it features a stable grain of wood, so the screws aren't stripping out prematurely. The hammer flange screws are oriented 90 degrees to the damper flange screws, of course.

It's a wonder that the glue joint has survived this long, in James Kelly's hyper humid climate (or in my New England area with the alternately very dry winter RH followed by high summer RH). As Fenton & others have suggested, the plastic parts will be an ongoing nightmare of shattering parts in this spinet (no fun removing that action!).

James, please take pics of the loose strip of wood under the damper lift rods. Really curious about that. Also check the damper rod hinge-which may not be metal- and the damper rod hinge pin for breaks.

I have gotten deep into it and will the action out in the morning . I secured all of the connector wires using 11 inch zip ties around the hammer rest rail and aluminum corner molding. I almost had it out but it is not easy to dead lift it so I am going to jerry rig a lifting handle using some turnbuckles and wire rope and come straight up in the middle. I am aware of the plastic issue and have a bag of the new Vargas  elbows. The piano is in a beach home owned by two retired teachers and she plays it during her summer stays. Home is in the upstate and both are Clemson grads. The job is a bit of a lunch eater but also a learning experience (as in I will never do this again) I work on lots of expensive pianos but every once in a while we have to recognize these pianos have a story behind them. I want it all back together and playable by the end of the day tomorrow . I know the plastic is brittle and likely to shatter but it is also close to 75 years old  

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

Just had to relegate a '40's Steinway console to the dump today. 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

James, I sent you some details about how I approach split action rails. If this one is split from one end to another I don't see how you are going to do it without removing at least some of the damper flanges so you can clamp and/or pin the two pieces together. You're also going to have to remove at least some of the whippen flanges for the same reason. If you can clamp it at the ends and maybe in front of an action bracket first maybe to can drill some guide holes to index the two parts before you proceed. You're probably going to want to remove the hammer spring rail. Even wood flanges on the whippens have a tendency to fall apart as they were laminated from strips with the same bad glue they used on the action rail.

Having the action out of the piano and on the bench makes the damper flanges all the more vulnerable, I think you'll have to be extremely lucky to do the repair and get it back in the piano unscathed. However, it may be that the flanges aren't brittle, sometimes they get leather hard. 

At any rate I think you should give a wide range depending on whether or not you encounter collateral damage. Worst case scenario is replacing all the plastic flanges. You might be looking at anywhere from a half day to 3 days. Have replacement parts on hand.

Imo

I have finally gotten the action out and will post pictures tomorrow . The action rail is split from one end to the other. There was a small of wood at the bass end but it must have fallen out when I hoisted the Pratt Read action out. I used a big U clamp on the center action bracket and held the bass end bracket as I heaved  away. The action of course was heavy but its low position made it feel very heavy. It now sits on a table outside the piano while I work up an estimate for then owners. It is remarkable that after all these years there is only 1 broken elbow. The damper flanges are made of the same brittle plastic as the elbows. I am looking for time estimates from techs who have done this repair as well as suggestions/tips/techniques. I want to avoid even touching the damper flanges with a screwdriver although the repair may require it to clamp the rail pieces together . I will search the Journals as well 

I've run into this problem too; if it wasn't a Winter the action components came from the same source (American-Aeolian brands, probably Pratt-Read action). The "strip of wood" is necessary so it features a stable grain of wood, so the screws aren't stripping out prematurely. The hammer flange screws are oriented 90 degrees to the damper flange screws, of course.

It's a wonder that the glue joint has survived this long, in James Kelly's hyper humid climate (or in my New England area with the alternately very dry winter RH followed by high summer RH). As Fenton & others have suggested, the plastic parts will be an ongoing nightmare of shattering parts in this spinet (no fun removing that action!).

James, please take pics of the loose strip of wood under the damper lift rods. Really curious about that. Also check the damper rod hinge-which may not be metal- and the damper rod hinge pin for breaks.

I have gotten deep into it and will the action out in the morning . I secured all of the connector wires using 11 inch zip ties around the hammer rest rail and aluminum corner molding. I almost had it out but it is not easy to dead lift it so I am going to jerry rig a lifting handle using some turnbuckles and wire rope and come straight up in the middle. I am aware of the plastic issue and have a bag of the new Vargas  elbows. The piano is in a beach home owned by two retired teachers and she plays it during her summer stays. Home is in the upstate and both are Clemson grads. The job is a bit of a lunch eater but also a learning experience (as in I will never do this again) I work on lots of expensive pianos but every once in a while we have to recognize these pianos have a story behind them. I want it all back together and playable by the end of the day tomorrow . I know the plastic is brittle and likely to shatter but it is also close to 75 years old  

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

My brother-in-law is the primary mover for the local Seattle Yamaha dealer. When they deliver a new piano, many times the customer asks the movers to take their old piano "away." This results about 5-6 pianos a month to the dump. Most are spinets, second are old uprights, next are consoles of the 60 thru 80's era and surprisingly a disproportionate number of Steinway uprights. 

Just had to relegate a '40's Steinway console to the dump today. 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

James, I sent you some details about how I approach split action rails. If this one is split from one end to another I don't see how you are going to do it without removing at least some of the damper flanges so you can clamp and/or pin the two pieces together. You're also going to have to remove at least some of the whippen flanges for the same reason. If you can clamp it at the ends and maybe in front of an action bracket first maybe to can drill some guide holes to index the two parts before you proceed. You're probably going to want to remove the hammer spring rail. Even wood flanges on the whippens have a tendency to fall apart as they were laminated from strips with the same bad glue they used on the action rail.

Having the action out of the piano and on the bench makes the damper flanges all the more vulnerable, I think you'll have to be extremely lucky to do the repair and get it back in the piano unscathed. However, it may be that the flanges aren't brittle, sometimes they get leather hard. 

At any rate I think you should give a wide range depending on whether or not you encounter collateral damage. Worst case scenario is replacing all the plastic flanges. You might be looking at anywhere from a half day to 3 days. Have replacement parts on hand.

Imo

I have finally gotten the action out and will post pictures tomorrow . The action rail is split from one end to the other. There was a small of wood at the bass end but it must have fallen out when I hoisted the Pratt Read action out. I used a big U clamp on the center action bracket and held the bass end bracket as I heaved  away. The action of course was heavy but its low position made it feel very heavy. It now sits on a table outside the piano while I work up an estimate for then owners. It is remarkable that after all these years there is only 1 broken elbow. The damper flanges are made of the same brittle plastic as the elbows. I am looking for time estimates from techs who have done this repair as well as suggestions/tips/techniques. I want to avoid even touching the damper flanges with a screwdriver although the repair may require it to clamp the rail pieces together . I will search the Journals as well 

I've run into this problem too; if it wasn't a Winter the action components came from the same source (American-Aeolian brands, probably Pratt-Read action). The "strip of wood" is necessary so it features a stable grain of wood, so the screws aren't stripping out prematurely. The hammer flange screws are oriented 90 degrees to the damper flange screws, of course.

It's a wonder that the glue joint has survived this long, in James Kelly's hyper humid climate (or in my New England area with the alternately very dry winter RH followed by high summer RH). As Fenton & others have suggested, the plastic parts will be an ongoing nightmare of shattering parts in this spinet (no fun removing that action!).

James, please take pics of the loose strip of wood under the damper lift rods. Really curious about that. Also check the damper rod hinge-which may not be metal- and the damper rod hinge pin for breaks.

I have gotten deep into it and will the action out in the morning . I secured all of the connector wires using 11 inch zip ties around the hammer rest rail and aluminum corner molding. I almost had it out but it is not easy to dead lift it so I am going to jerry rig a lifting handle using some turnbuckles and wire rope and come straight up in the middle. I am aware of the plastic issue and have a bag of the new Vargas  elbows. The piano is in a beach home owned by two retired teachers and she plays it during her summer stays. Home is in the upstate and both are Clemson grads. The job is a bit of a lunch eater but also a learning experience (as in I will never do this again) I work on lots of expensive pianos but every once in a while we have to recognize these pianos have a story behind them. I want it all back together and playable by the end of the day tomorrow . I know the plastic is brittle and likely to shatter but it is also close to 75 years old  

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

Thank you all for your comments, ideas, suggestions. I will present the owner with different options although I am hesitant to do any repairs because of the brittleness of the plastic. I had a client with the same type of piano but it had even more plastic in it. After pricing out all the labor it involved and the parts needed it was clear that the piano needed to be retired. I checked with a local dealer friend and he has a decent used Everett just under $500.

Note there is no sentimental attachment to this piano, no family history. She found it at Salvation Army. Our local Habitat has stopped taking piano donations. I wish some of our churches would do the same. Several years ago I looked at a "donation". It was a wreck-horribly out of tune, rusted strings, broken bridal straps, peeling hammers, chewed up damper felt, sticking keys. The person who donated it should be ashamed

My brother-in-law is the primary mover for the local Seattle Yamaha dealer. When they deliver a new piano, many times the customer asks the movers to take their old piano "away." This results about 5-6 pianos a month to the dump. Most are spinets, second are old uprights, next are consoles of the 60 thru 80's era and surprisingly a disproportionate number of Steinway uprights. 

Just had to relegate a '40's Steinway console to the dump today. 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

James, I sent you some details about how I approach split action rails. If this one is split from one end to another I don't see how you are going to do it without removing at least some of the damper flanges so you can clamp and/or pin the two pieces together. You're also going to have to remove at least some of the whippen flanges for the same reason. If you can clamp it at the ends and maybe in front of an action bracket first maybe to can drill some guide holes to index the two parts before you proceed. You're probably going to want to remove the hammer spring rail. Even wood flanges on the whippens have a tendency to fall apart as they were laminated from strips with the same bad glue they used on the action rail.

Having the action out of the piano and on the bench makes the damper flanges all the more vulnerable, I think you'll have to be extremely lucky to do the repair and get it back in the piano unscathed. However, it may be that the flanges aren't brittle, sometimes they get leather hard. 

At any rate I think you should give a wide range depending on whether or not you encounter collateral damage. Worst case scenario is replacing all the plastic flanges. You might be looking at anywhere from a half day to 3 days. Have replacement parts on hand.

Imo

I have finally gotten the action out and will post pictures tomorrow . The action rail is split from one end to the other. There was a small of wood at the bass end but it must have fallen out when I hoisted the Pratt Read action out. I used a big U clamp on the center action bracket and held the bass end bracket as I heaved  away. The action of course was heavy but its low position made it feel very heavy. It now sits on a table outside the piano while I work up an estimate for then owners. It is remarkable that after all these years there is only 1 broken elbow. The damper flanges are made of the same brittle plastic as the elbows. I am looking for time estimates from techs who have done this repair as well as suggestions/tips/techniques. I want to avoid even touching the damper flanges with a screwdriver although the repair may require it to clamp the rail pieces together . I will search the Journals as well 

I've run into this problem too; if it wasn't a Winter the action components came from the same source (American-Aeolian brands, probably Pratt-Read action). The "strip of wood" is necessary so it features a stable grain of wood, so the screws aren't stripping out prematurely. The hammer flange screws are oriented 90 degrees to the damper flange screws, of course.

It's a wonder that the glue joint has survived this long, in James Kelly's hyper humid climate (or in my New England area with the alternately very dry winter RH followed by high summer RH). As Fenton & others have suggested, the plastic parts will be an ongoing nightmare of shattering parts in this spinet (no fun removing that action!).

James, please take pics of the loose strip of wood under the damper lift rods. Really curious about that. Also check the damper rod hinge-which may not be metal- and the damper rod hinge pin for breaks.

I have gotten deep into it and will the action out in the morning . I secured all of the connector wires using 11 inch zip ties around the hammer rest rail and aluminum corner molding. I almost had it out but it is not easy to dead lift it so I am going to jerry rig a lifting handle using some turnbuckles and wire rope and come straight up in the middle. I am aware of the plastic issue and have a bag of the new Vargas  elbows. The piano is in a beach home owned by two retired teachers and she plays it during her summer stays. Home is in the upstate and both are Clemson grads. The job is a bit of a lunch eater but also a learning experience (as in I will never do this again) I work on lots of expensive pianos but every once in a while we have to recognize these pianos have a story behind them. I want it all back together and playable by the end of the day tomorrow . I know the plastic is brittle and likely to shatter but it is also close to 75 years old  

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are

Just had to relegate a '40's Steinway console to the dump today. 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

James, I sent you some details about how I approach split action rails. If this one is split from one end to another I don't see how you are going to do it without removing at least some of the damper flanges so you can clamp and/or pin the two pieces together. You're also going to have to remove at least some of the whippen flanges for the same reason. If you can clamp it at the ends and maybe in front of an action bracket first maybe to can drill some guide holes to index the two parts before you proceed. You're probably going to want to remove the hammer spring rail. Even wood flanges on the whippens have a tendency to fall apart as they were laminated from strips with the same bad glue they used on the action rail.

Having the action out of the piano and on the bench makes the damper flanges all the more vulnerable, I think you'll have to be extremely lucky to do the repair and get it back in the piano unscathed. However, it may be that the flanges aren't brittle, sometimes they get leather hard. 

At any rate I think you should give a wide range depending on whether or not you encounter collateral damage. Worst case scenario is replacing all the plastic flanges. You might be looking at anywhere from a half day to 3 days. Have replacement parts on hand.

Imo

I have finally gotten the action out and will post pictures tomorrow . The action rail is split from one end to the other. There was a small of wood at the bass end but it must have fallen out when I hoisted the Pratt Read action out. I used a big U clamp on the center action bracket and held the bass end bracket as I heaved  away. The action of course was heavy but its low position made it feel very heavy. It now sits on a table outside the piano while I work up an estimate for then owners. It is remarkable that after all these years there is only 1 broken elbow. The damper flanges are made of the same brittle plastic as the elbows. I am looking for time estimates from techs who have done this repair as well as suggestions/tips/techniques. I want to avoid even touching the damper flanges with a screwdriver although the repair may require it to clamp the rail pieces together . I will search the Journals as well 

I've run into this problem too; if it wasn't a Winter the action components came from the same source (American-Aeolian brands, probably Pratt-Read action). The "strip of wood" is necessary so it features a stable grain of wood, so the screws aren't stripping out prematurely. The hammer flange screws are oriented 90 degrees to the damper flange screws, of course.

It's a wonder that the glue joint has survived this long, in James Kelly's hyper humid climate (or in my New England area with the alternately very dry winter RH followed by high summer RH). As Fenton & others have suggested, the plastic parts will be an ongoing nightmare of shattering parts in this spinet (no fun removing that action!).

James, please take pics of the loose strip of wood under the damper lift rods. Really curious about that. Also check the damper rod hinge-which may not be metal- and the damper rod hinge pin for breaks.

I have gotten deep into it and will the action out in the morning . I secured all of the connector wires using 11 inch zip ties around the hammer rest rail and aluminum corner molding. I almost had it out but it is not easy to dead lift it so I am going to jerry rig a lifting handle using some turnbuckles and wire rope and come straight up in the middle. I am aware of the plastic issue and have a bag of the new Vargas  elbows. The piano is in a beach home owned by two retired teachers and she plays it during her summer stays. Home is in the upstate and both are Clemson grads. The job is a bit of a lunch eater but also a learning experience (as in I will never do this again) I work on lots of expensive pianos but every once in a while we have to recognize these pianos have a story behind them. I want it all back together and playable by the end of the day tomorrow . I know the plastic is brittle and likely to shatter but it is also close to 75 years old  

Customer has a Winter Spinet which has a stamping on the plate indicating a date in 1950. There is only one broken plastic elbow but it took some time to trace the problem she has. Several weeks ago she slammed down on the keys and the piano would not play after at all. I noted that the entire set except for about 4 dampers was not resting on the strings. I checked for jammed pedal dowels, broken action brackets something wedged in the action etc. I was about to quit when i noted there is a thin strip of wood running the full length of the damper system and under the damper lifter rods . Moving it in and out while under the piano looking up I am convinced this is the problem. I think the sudden shock of slamming on a group of keys broke the glue bond . I am not sure what the piece is called but I plan to secure the sticker wires, remove the action and reglue this strip. Anyone know what this thing is called ? As a side note there is an external lyre with pedal rods and a variety of metal rods that run under the keybed a decal says the piano is equipped with practiano and embossed plate says resotonic Musette . Any idea what these terms are