[CAUT] Installing New Let-Off Buttons

[Greg Newell]

Or just pre thread them on the drill press.

 

Greg Newell

Greg's Piano Forté

www.gregspianoforte.com

216-226-3791 (office)

216-470-8634 (mobile)

 

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Ed
Foote
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2010 6:45 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Installing New Let-Off Buttons

 

Greetings,   
      You may want to try this:  Drill a hole just slightly oversize to your
button dia. , (varies from 7/16" up) through a hammer flange, right where
the hole is.  This is a guide.  Then place the let-off button in it and
while holding the flange tightly against the underside of the let-off rail,
press the button against the rail, feeling the the felt with your finger.
This is a one-hand operation.  Spin the screw with a driver.  Though I would
love to take credit for the idea, it was Newton Hunt's. My contribution is
that if you are using longer let-off buttons, glue additional wood on top of
the flange before you drill the hole,  so that when the flange is square on
the rail, and the button is pressed against it too, the felt of the button
will be protruding from the guide surface.  
      What has tripped me up in the past has been bent screws, and holes
that are not straight. You can't overcome the former, but the latter can be.
There is very little wood involved in this thread engagement, and it is easy
for a straight screw to go in a straight hole crooked if it starts off that
way. Another 3 or 4 mm's depth would probably straighten up the alignment,
but lacking that, it helps to keep a light touch on the button at the very
beginning. Last time I did this, I seem to remember the secret ,(found on
the last 3 or 4 buttons!), was to, at first, press the guide flange tightly
with light pressure on the felt, and as the screw engaged, to put more force
on the felt.  When I can't keep it from turning with pressure on it, it is
usually done.  
  I also think a small battery powered screwdriver allows a more accurate
result, being smoother and faster than turning by hand.  Most of the let-off
screws will fit inside the standard hexagonal socket that screwdriver bits
etc. fit in.  I use an older Black and Decker straight line screwdriver with
a long bit holder. 
Regards,  

Ed Foote RPT
http://www.  

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