loose let-off screw

[Roger Jolly]

Hi John,
              A couple of fixes.
The ideal money permitting.
1. Remove the let off rail, and remove the problem button and screw.
2. Drill a 1/4" hole through the rail from the front of the rail.
3. Glue a 1/4" maple dowel into the hole. 
4. Drill a pilot hole down thro' the rail for the screw.
5. Re-assemble.

This repair will give you cross grain for the screw to grip, and will work
like new.

5min epoxy

1. Remove the button and screw.
2. Coat the threads of the screw with some grease.
3. Apply some 5min epoxy to the top of the screw hole, and warm with a hair
drier. It will run like water.
A couple of light dabs will do.
4. Re-install screw, and button. Wait 5 min and adjust.

This can be done in the piano. The grease will prevent the screw from
binding to the epoxy.

Hope this helps.
Roger



At 09:23 PM 02/11/99 -0600, you wrote:
>List,
>
>I have been lurking on the list for close to a year and want to tell you
>all that what I have learned from you has been incredible!  My thanks go
>to those who have asked questions I feared to ask because I was sure
>everyone knew the answer but me.  Thank also to those who regularly
>contribute their wisdom.
>
>I tuned a Story & Clark upright several months ago which had one note
>not working due to the let-off screw being turned down too far causing
>the jack to trip too soon.  I simply adjusted it and went on with
>tuning.  The customer now tells me a note is not working.  My guess is
>that the let-off button has again worked its way out of regulation on
>this note.  My first inclination is to adjust it again and treat with a
>few drops of CA to make it hold.  My fear is that the CA might make it
>so tight that future regulation would twist the screw off.  Any
>suggestions?  Would turning the screw before the CA set make it tight
>without bonding the screw to the rail?  Is there something that would
>work better?
>
>Thanks in advance for your help!
>
>John Voigt
> 
Roger Jolly
Saskatoon, Canada.
306-665-0213
Fax 652-0505