Thank you very much for the info Roger. I'll get to work right away......tomorrow! To address Wim's comment to replace flanges with spring - the flanges I have found have an off-centered rail screw hole - I need hole in middle of flange - besides, I kinda want to do this so that I have done the whole thing for experience. Regarding the damper lift rod bushing holder thingees - one of them is broke in half. I don't think there is any easy way to fix it. I believe I need to replace it. Terry Farrell ----- Original Message ----- From: "jolly roger" <baldyam@sk.sympatico.ca> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2001 8:36 PM Subject: Re: Damper Lever Rebuild (tad long) > > OK Terry, > I'll bite. <G> Can't you ever ask simple questions? > > > > >1) Damper spring flange cord. What is the best way to remove it? I tried > >pushing it through - just jammed up in the spring area and......(flange is > >now in vice with tite-bond). Is there a handy way to pull it through? Or > >should it be cut with a razor at the spring and then pushed? I did take the > >steel center pin out first (I assume that is the way to start at least). > > Two slices with a razor and the spring falls out, then just use a pointed > object and push out the stuff in the hole. Simple, done. > > > >2) The cord in the one flange I have removed appears to not have been glued > >in place - is this OK to reproduce when installing the new cord? > > Ain't meant to be glued. Put glue on the cord and listen to the spring > click like mad. Create you own special percussion section. > The spring will not go any where if you have a snog fit with the cord. > Just make sure you have the wover jacket type cord. > > > >3) Should the new cord simply be pulled through and cut to length? If it is > >not glued in, is it not going to crunch up inside when I try to install > >center pin? Is there some procedural trick to getting new cord and pin in? > >Or should I glue it in regardless of whether it was originally glued in or > >not? > > Now just push the woven sleeve of the cord back, to expose about 2" of > core, snip the core. Now stretch the sleeve out over the core. twirl the > end and apply CA glue on the first inch. This will give you a nice stiff > needle like end to thread through the holes and spring coil. Pull through > and trim the ends with a sharp razor. Done. You don't need a centre pin > on most damper levers. > > > >4) There is a creased little round piece of felt/cloth at the lever top > >where the top of the spring rubs against the lever. Some levers do not have > >cloth, instead they have a direct wire-to-graphited wood contact. Do I need > >the felt/cloth? Can I just remove it and put some dag on the groove in > >lever? If it is best to replace felt/cloth, what should it be replaced with? > >I do not find any such identified thing in the catalogs. > > The supply houses sell those punchings. But you have to get rid of the > graphite first as the glue will not stick. The felt will give quieter > trouble free operation. But dag will aso work, remember to burnish it in, > or it will squeek. > > > >5) What kind of felt/cloth is used at the bottom of the lever where the > >damper lift rod and damper spoons push against the damper lever? > > Action cloth or wippen cloth, it is sold in about 5 thicknesses. So make > sure you have the right material or you can end up with major timing > problems. Dusting with teflon powder is a good idea. When gluing the new > action cloth, a little dab at each end. No glue under the rod contact > point. Quieter operation. > > > > >6) What kind of bushing felt/cloth should be used in the damper lift rod > >bushing holder thingees? Is there any source for older style bushing holder > >thingees? I know they have the newer ones in the catalogs, but I will have > >to chisel/rout a new spot for these if I need to convert. My original ones > >have a round base and appear to be made of copper or brass. > > These are the best type so keep them, rebush with key bushing cloth. Melt > parafine wax into the bushing, it will never squeek again. > I do not glue the bushings in. I just leave a collar and push it on to > the damper rod hanger, after the melted wax has been applied, this will > size the bushing for you. Remove and trim off excess with a very sharp > razor. A little trick, push part way on to the hanger, trim end, the > reverse the bushing and trim the other end. That way the bushing will not > want to pull out. > It's a good idea to lay the rod on a flat surface to may sure all the > hangers are in a straight line. Can save a lot of grief later when you > find one end lifting earlier than the other. > > > > >I know cloth is woven. How does felt differ? How to tell the difference when > >examining old cloth/felt? > > I have a preference for the woven felt with a whitish weave. > > With regards to your customer, warn her that you may be replacing the > damper felt when you restring. > > Hope you this useful. > Roger > >
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