yamaha hammer butt spring

[Dave Nereson]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "pianolover 88" <pianolover88@hotmail.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2003 9:48 PM
Subject: yamaha hammer butt spring


> Is there a hammer butt "repair" spring made for yamaha type actions that do 
> not utilize the separate spring rail? If anyone has an alternate repair 
> method I'd love to hear about it! Thanks in advance.
>> 
> Terry Peterson

     Not sure what you mean by "alternate", but you can buy that type of spring.  You have to drill out the cord, position the new spring, and thread some new cord through it and the butt, then trim it off.  (You know, you pull back the outer weave, or "casing" of the cord, snip off an inch or so of the inner fibers, then pull and twist the outer weave into a small diameter with your thumb and forefinger, like preparing thread to go through a needle, then dip it in something that sets up hard, like lacquer or glue.  This forms a stiff end that will poke through the butt and the spring enough to grab it on the other side.  Then you pull it through to the other end of the length of cord, so you keep the threading end, and trim it off).
    But you probably knew that.  I can think of less craftsman-like ways of doing it using toothpicks or repair springs clipped short, bent to shape and screwed into the butt, or maybe shoelaces instead of flange cord, but they're sorta Mickey-mouse.  If you don't wanna mess with it, just replace the whole butt.  Probably takes less time (?).  
    --David Nereson, RPT, Denver