Broken jack springs

[Joseph Alkana]

At 10:17 PM 9/18/96 -0800, you wrote:
>Dear Pianotechies,
>
>I have a customer with a Story and Clark console.  Back in 1980 a technician
>left a record of having to replace a broken jack spring.  The customer
tells me
>that several have broken since then, and now she has two more that are
broken.
>Fortunately, she realizes, even suggested herself, that they should all be
>replaced, so I'll be doing that job.
>
>But I have a question -  Why would the jack springs be breaking in the first
>place?
>
>Any advice as to which glue is best for jack springs?  Anyone got a handy
>method of snapping new jack springs into place?  I'm hoping that a drop of
>deglueing solution (wallpaper remover in water) will loosen the old ones.
>
>Larry Goss
>Cedar MIll, Oregon
>
>
>
>
Larry,
It would seem that the metal is prematurely becoming brittle. Not being a
metalurgist I certainly can't offer much insight  into that aspect . I
would, however, suggest that you look real close at the hammer springs and
damper springs. It would be my guess they are on the way out, too,
especially if the tuning pins and wire look rusty or corroded.
I looked at a Story & Clark console here in wet and soggy North Bend with
the same situation, exept that ALL of the hammer springs were rusted off and
lying in the bottom of the piano.

Joseph Alkana RPT