Broken tap ...Hey Andrew!

[Brian Trout]

Hi again,

I'm really curious as to whether you got your broken tap out, and if so,
how?

(I know, patience, patience...)

Brian Trout
Quarryville, Pa.

-----Original Message-----
From: ANRPiano@AOL.COM <ANRPiano@AOL.COM>
To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
Date: Saturday, May 29, 1999 10:36 AM
Subject: Broken tap


>A customer was referred to me by a very good technician who had the miss
>fortune of breaking a tap while retapping agraffe threads.  The tap broke
off
>nearly flush with the plate.  This is a S & S S? circa 1920's.  It is the
>fourth agraffe in the tenor section.  The tap is firmly imbedded into the
>plate.  It will not turn.  I made a tool with two rods to fit into two of
the
>four flutes to attempt turning it out.  The rods broke.  Is there a
>commercially available broken tap removing tool?
>
>I attempted to drill the tap out.  My titanium bits did little.  Though the
>grinding bits I used to flatten out the top seemed effective in removing
>material.  Is there a solution here?
>
>The customer does not have enough money for rebuilding the piano (which it
>could use) so removing the plate and coming in from the bottom is out.
>
>My last idea (which I don't care for) is to drill a new agraffe hole
infront
>of the old.  There is plenty of room in the plate.  Will this cause any
undue
>weakening in the plate, and how badly will the tone on the now 1/2 - 3/4
inch
>shorter be affected?
>
>I know this is not your everyday type of repair, but any input would be
>greatly appreciated.
>
>Andrew Remillard
>