More Advice Sought for 100+ Year Old Bechstein

Billbrpt@AOL.COM Billbrpt@AOL.COM
Wed, 14 Aug 2002 09:10:46 EDT


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In a message dated 8/14/02 7:43:47 AM Central Daylight Time, 
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com (Farrell) writes:


> Are you speaking of rods going between the long part of the leg and the base 
> to secure these two pieces together? I have two legs in my shop right now 
> that are broken. They broke between these two parts. There was a 1-1/4" 
> dowel connecting them. I have drilled four 7/8" holes in each base and four 
> in each long part. I have cut eight 4" long 3/4" oak dowels to join them. I 
> will wet all surfaces down with unthickened West System epoxy, and then 
> apply epoxy thickened with high-strength adhesive filler - put a bunch in 
> all holes - it will ooze out when dowels go in and fill the small gap 
> between the flatish mating surfaces of the long piece and the base. The 
> four 3/4" dowels have 50% more cross sectional area than the original 
> dowel, although the epoxy should be enough all on its own! I am doing a 
> similar procedure to the broken lyre.
> 
> To remove a leg, just prop the piano up on a couple strong milk crates or 
> use a jack - no reason to necessarily go over on the side.
> 
> Is this what you were asking about?
> 
> Terry Farrell
> 
Yes, precisely, Terry and thanks a lot for answering.  I've been in the 
business 10 times as long as you but this is an area I know very little 
about.  Even when I was rebuilding pianos, I never did much with legs other 
than take them off and put them back on and even then, the other help around 
the shop usually did that.

I'm not at all sure about how these legs are constructed or what I will find 
wrong with them.  I just want to repair them very securely so that they will 
never again be a problem.  That should be worth a day's pay which is what I 
am planning on.  I will have to drive 40 miles to get there, it is in a 
remote location.  If I need any hardware, I will have to drive into the 
nearest town to get it.

Another very helpful thing you mentioned was the brand name of epoxy you are 
suggesting:  West System.  Where can I get some?  Other than hardware stores, 
I know of one specialty shop which sells high quality tools and supplies to 
carpenters and such.  I don't know if it is still there but I used to get 
things there when I was rebuilding years ago.  Where do you get your epoxy?

(Just looked in the phone book.  "Workbench Tool Company and Supplies" is 
still at the same address it was years ago.)  Please list the specific 
materials to get.  And thanks again for your input.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin
 <A HREF="http://www.billbremmer.com/">Click here: -=w w w . b i l l b r e m m e r . c o m =-</A> 

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin
 <A HREF="http://www.billbremmer.com/">Click here: -=w w w . b i l l b r e m m e r . c o m =-</A> 

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