Steinway Style 2 (Modified by Kent Swafford)

[R Moody]

> The drop screws of newish shanks and flanges hit the pinblock and
> prevent the action from being removed from the piano,


If the action can't be gotten out, I wonder how it how they got it in?    If
it was forced in it must be forced back out.   Can you see groove marks on
the pin block from the drop screws?

Perhaps the pins were driven later on (as in the case of loose pins) without
support and the bottom lamination of the block was forced further downward.
In that case you might need a long wide chisel.

If the key bed is screwed to the arms you might  be able to take those
screws out and force the bed down.

Pict #241sb looks like there is plenty of clearance.  So the pin block must
drop way down further in.

Is it possible a quarter got wedged under the center rail and raised it just
enough to the drop screws grab?  But you should see that in a raised front
rail.

I would like to see a photo straight in over the flange screws to see the
drop screws.

I would try force unless some how the keybed can be lowered.  If a few drop
screws scrape the pin block, so what?  If they get bent they can be
replaced.   But hmmm if the action were forced in and the drop screws bent
then you are pulling against the bend which would  make it double effort to
get it back out.      If it is so jammed in you won't be able to pull it out
with just your two fingers on the shift pins.  This has a wooden frame so
you can't grab there.  You might have to spend an hour or so with a rotary
rasp on an extended drill bit to clear away some of the offending pin block
material.

If the piano is worth it you can saws-all out the keybed.  ( :,,,,,,

Richard Moody
    www.pnotec.com




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kent Swafford" <kswafford@earthlink.net>
To: "Submit technical files to ptg.org" <files@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 28, 2004 2:44 PM
Subject: Steinway Style 2 (Modified by Kent Swafford)


> I thought some might find this piano to be of interest. It appears to
> be recognizable as a Style 2, the plate says S&S NY but the serial
> number doesn't make much sense, 480.
>
> The current owner of the piano is a voice professor who purchased the
> piano in Stuttgart. The piano is said to have lived for years in a
> German opera house as a rehearsal piano.
>
> The action is not recognizable as Steinway. Rocker capstans have been
> removed in favor of pedestals and modern capstans.
>
> The drop screws of newish shanks and flanges hit the pinblock and
> prevent the action from being removed from the piano, an unfortunate
> thing since the need for regulation is becoming dire. There are no BR
> studs that one might raise to lower the action. (Early-rising dampers
> are causing ringing-on notes, and jacks are skipping out on normal
> blows.)
>
> I really need to get this action out of the piano. I have never seen
> the piano in high humidity and have suggested that I be called out when
> the relative humidity in the house is above 60, just to see if there is
> any difference.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Kent Swafford
>
>
> Photos are at the following URLs:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/3bprx
>
> http://tinyurl.com/384f4
>
> http://tinyurl.com/24lsb
>
>
>