How do I find these things? (was vintage Steinway)

[Keith McGavern]

>... What to
>do? What to doo????  I'm leaning to  soldering in replacement rails
>if the customer will pay for it.  Is this a viable solution for a
>piano of this vintage?  Should I replace the dowels inside instead?
>What kinds of things can I expect from either?  What would you do and
>why?  Thanks again for your past help!  I'm looking forward to your
>input on this one too! ;>)
>                                        Greg Newell

If I understand your situation, Greg, here's what I have done before on a
Steinway grand.  If you have clearance on your vintage Steinway, you should
be able to do it as well.

For the ones that have broken off, I used the smallest drill bit and
drilled a hole *right next* to the screw, sometimes on both sides, all the
way through.  This allowed a space to move the frozen screw and remove it.
Then I drilled out the wood with a larger bit, plugged the hole, and
redrilled the plug to accept new regulating screws.

Works quite nicely.

Keith A. McGavern
kam544@ionet.net
Registered Piano Technician
Oklahoma Chapter 731
Piano Technicians Guild
USA