Reglue Butt Leather

[Farrell]

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  ----- Original Message -----=20

         Terry...Undo the tapes and support the action at 45 degrees. =
Then dab each Butt leather with boiling water using a small paint brush. =
Don't apply it like I read from someone on this list, who applied CA =
glue and had it running everwhere!!!.... Repeat painting with boiling =
water two or three times and the leather should just about fall off. I =
thought of steam, but I think the escaping steam close to other parts =
could be a problem.

        This sounds like you are doing this without removing the hammer =
butts. Is that correct? As far as removing the original butt leather, I =
don't need to steam anything - that is the affliction with this piano, =
the leather has come unglued - they fall out already!

        I normally remove the hammers and holding about 10 Butts with my =
thumb and third fingers making sure that the tapes are also being held =
out of the way I then suspend the butt leather just on top of boiling =
water in a saucepan for as long as it takes to wet the leathers. No more =
than 2-3 seconds.
        It takes about 10-15 minutes to do a full set twice. Most of the =
leathers just drop off into the boiling water

        Now I'm confused - you are removing the hammer butts (I'm =
assuming you don't really remove the hammers from the shanks)? And, like =
I said, it is not a problem removing the original leather - it is =
falling off. My question is for gluing the new leather in - can that be =
done without removing the hammer butts?

          ...Just another thought...how are you going to manage cutting =
the leather to the right width if you don't own a guillotine?=20

        I do own a guillotine. I just haven't been able to find it for =
the past year or two. There are ways for absent-minded people to =
compensate. ;-)

        And actually, I haven't decided whether to recommend replacement =
of the leathers or to simply re-glue the originals. The originals are in =
good shape, although they do have the jack imprint in them. The =
regulation on the piano was good as it was - I have some concern that =
new leather would then need to be followed with action regulation - and =
of course, the owner of this Winter spinet does not wish to do that!

        Where is my next soundboard order so that I don't have to be =
subjected to this kind of work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   ;-)

        Terry Farrell

        Robin Stevens ARPT
        South Australia=20

        -------Original Message-------

        I'm looking for opinions on how much time should be required to =
re-glue 88 hammer butt leathers on a Winter spinet (don't ask - family =
heirloom).

        Also, can this be done without removing the hammer butts from =
the rail (I can't imagine how....)?

        Interesting (and crappy) piano - 1949, aluminum plate (Alcoa), =
independant lyre, fancy case - this one is in good original condition.

        Thanks.

        Terry Farrell
      =20
      =20

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