please advise action bracket repair

[John McKone]

I did a similar repair last year that seems to be holding well.  Epoxy
alone will not be sufficcient.  What I used was epoxy and a screw "dowel"
as reinforcement.  Here are the steps...

1. Get a small wood or metal screw, and snip off the head so that you have,
in essence, a small threaded dowel.

2. Drill a hole vertically into each of the broken parts of the bracket.
These holes should be slightly bigger (wider and longer) than the dowel.

3. Dry fit with the dowel in place.

4. fill the holes with epoxy, put the dowel in, clamp and wait.

Done right on a clean break, this repair is almost invisible, and should
last a long time

John McKone


>Dear List:
>
>I came across a situation the other day which I have not encountered
>before.  I went to tune a 1910 or so Heintzman full-size upright (or
>vertical as you Americans say) and found both of the end action brackets
>broken off below where they attach to the action.  The top parts were
>still attached to the bolts, and the owner had no idea how it got that
>way. I am presuming it was due to an end-on impact during moving. (The
>bottom bits were still in situ).  It hadn't been tuned for a long time
>(several years) and the previous tuner hadn't noticed (or commented on
>it).  I wonder what advice you might have as to the best repair. My first
>inclination was brazing, but I thought that epoxy might be easier and
>safer.  I haven't used epoxy for such a repair before, but I think that
>the rough crystalline surface of the broken cast metal might allow it to
>work satisfactorily.
>
>All suggestions gratefully accepted--especially from those who have
>successfully completed such a repair and had it last!
>
>Thanks for all replies.
>
>Tim Keenan
>Noteworthy Piano Service
>
>
>Terrace, BC

John McKone, RPT
St. louis Park, Minnesota
(612) 280-8375
mckonejw@skypoint.com