Kastner welhau floating centre action

[Alan Forsyth]

Dear listed ones,

Wondering if any of you have had to repair the flange centres on a
Kastner-Welhau floating centre action. The piano concerned is a Barratt and
Robinson upright of circa 1975 vintage. Instead of felt bushings, the
hammer, jack and whippen flanges use plastic inserts as the bushing. These
look very similar to railway wheels with a flange down the one side. It
appears that they wear out after a while and cause the centre to knock. I
have reamed them to take a pin one size up, but do not know how long it will
last or if this is the correct procedure or not. Apparently replacement kits
used to be made but alas are no longer available.

I'm also wondering why the term "floating centre" is used.

Regards
Alan Forsyth
Edinburgh