piano actions in players cont.

[pianolady50 at peoplepc.com]

On to those players that have the stack located in the bottom of the piano (under the keybed).  Although there are a few "old-time" players set up this way, the vast majority are from the 1960's - 1980's.  The most common, in my experience, is the Aeolian (they use a variety of fallboard names).  Kimball, Universal, Baldwin, and Wurlitzer also made players during the same time period.  Each brand has developed unique problems.  Fortunately, this isn't about player repair!

First, if the player has electric, unplug it from the wall....you just never know. :-(

Since the stack is located below the keybed and the shelf with spoolbox, wind motor, tracking, etc. is located above the keys there is a lot of tubing running from top to bottom.  In some cases, for minor repairs or adjustments, it is possible to disconnect only linkage, mounting screws, and the hose to the wind motor.  This allows you (if you're lucky and the bundles of tubing travelling down each end of the shelf to the stack are long enough and supple enough) to move the shelf forward (or tip it forward) and gain access to the action. Don't forget those hammer rail lift linkages, mandolin rail, and hammer rail pneumatics that need to be removed if you have to extricate the piano action.  Some manufacturers provided a way to hinge the shelf and it's components forward and out of the way.  I can't remember which that was!  Oh yeah, if the piano is equipped with an electric vacuum motor, don't forget about wiring.  You may need to find the connection from top to bottom and unplug it.

Now, if for whatever reason, you need to move the shelf and components further than the tubing will allow, and the tracker bar is tubed to valves "down below", you've got a project.  I have made a device to keep all those tubes in order.  Actually it is a set (2).  45 brass tracker bar nipples drilled cross-wise and threaded on heavy duty monofilament.  The monofilament is terminated at each end with small section of half inch dowel.  The dowel is labelled on the first grouping as B1  and then the other end is B45.  The second grouping is T1 and T45.  You then sit under the keybed and carefully disconnect each "note" tube (including any small supply tubes that follow, in order) and connect them to the "jig" to keep them in order.  This doesn't always work perfectly.   You need a lot of patience!  Anyway, the "jig" is very useful for removing Aeolian stacks for service and also those troublesome Universal stacks.  Having the tubes disconnected will allow you to shift the shelf further without damaging anything.

In general, with careful observation and note taking if necessary, it's not too difficult.  It is difficult to come up with general instructions!  From 1915-1925 (the height of player manufacturing in the States) there were over 500 piano manufacturer's producing players.  Some companies developed their own mechanisms such as Kimball and Baldwin.  Others bought player mechanisms from other companies i.e. Standard Pneumatic, Simplex.  There were over 50 player mechanism manufacturers.  They also produced a variety of units.  So you may here reference to "an early two-tier stack" vs. "the later three-tier".  Often individual components were redesigned.

The number one observation............................
Although they all work on the same principle, there is no norm.
Proceed carefully and have fun!

Debbie
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