Inaccessible Let-off Screws

[Michael Spalding]

Hi List,

The action is a W N & G, from a Hardman baby grand about 70 years old.  The
let-off rail is positioned under the hammer rail, so that the tops of the
let-off screws clear the bottom of the hammer rail by about 1/8 inch.  If
they were turned up all the way, it looks like they would just touch the
hammer rail.  Not enough room for any of the 3 different types of let-off
regulating tools that I own.  I've run into this a couple of times before
on low-quality pianos, and in one case re-engineered the hammer rail to
make tool clearance.  But I find it hard to believe that  W N & G would
have designed a non-adjustable action.  I've looked at how the rails are
mounted to the action brackets, and they are definitely sitting right where
the designer intended, and neither rail position is adjustable.  Is there a
tool I don't own yet, for adjusting let-off screws with low overhead
clearance?   Or do I have to run another hammer rail over the router table?


Mike Spalding RPT


Mike & Jane Spalding
spalding48@earthlink.net