Rippen piano - plastic action

[DLLegg]

Hi Bob,
The one Rippen customer I had finally sold the piano.  Hopefully he didn't
pass on my business card.  

For some weird reason Protek does have that effect on Rippen centers.  I have
a feeling it reacts in some way with the surrounding plastic.  I have not
tried shrinking the bushings.  I would try one first and see what happens
before I did them all.

The parts are indeed "snap in".  Unfortunately they don't snap out very
easily.  Some of the actions were screwed together (rails to brackets) and can
be taken apart so that the various snap in parts can be slid out of the
channel.  Other actions are riveted.  You could drill the rivets out and do
the slide out procedure.  I snapped out the dampers and some wippens.  Once a
technique of getting a fine blade under the "flange" to lift and rock them is
developed, it goes quite well.  Putting them back in is an un-nerving job.  I
set them in place, put a screwdriver blade against the narrow ridge on each
flange and gave a solid thump with the heel of my hand to the screwdriver to
pop them in.  Didn't break any but it sure felt like I would.

If you need any parts let me know.  I have two actions (thanks Wim and Jon ;-)
).

Good luck,  Debbie Legg