Clicking drop screws on a new Steinway

[Horace Greeley]

David,

A couple of additional notes:

At 06:02 AM 5/26/2006, you wrote:
>David,
>I was going to ask about the climate the piano is in now with 
>several items loose.  With the details it looks more like a mixed bag.
>The Steinway parts list has this:
>005151 ACTION FRAME LETOFF RAIL BORED - A/B EA 54.00

The borings available are for current production only.

>There is another part that includes the buttons for more but labor costs too!
>009073 ACTION FRAME W/LETOFF BUTTONS - A/B EA 292.00
>You are still stuck with regulating them all into position but that 
>does make more sense than running all the old ones out of the old 
>rail and then into the new rail.

In this case, you (obviously) have to remove the nicely installed 
buttons and screws in order to install the rail.  Actually, it goes 
quite quickly.

>  I haven't tried it, but removing the rail and running thinned 
> lacquer down by all the screws might tighten things up and 
> weatherize the wood.  Perhaps it won't flow in easily.  I'd be 
> worried about broken drop screws with CA (I'd definitely remove the 
> rail for a CA treatment too).

I've done both a thin lacquer and CA.  Unfortunately, an assistant 
did the CA, so it was never clear to me exactly how much had been 
lavished upon the rail...I wound up replacing the rail.  The one with 
lacquer worked about as well as one might expect; but, at least, the 
screws were nominally tight enough to regulate.

Excellent advice from Ed and Ed as to rail and insert replacement.

Most of the clicking knuckles I have seen are the result of the 
leather getting glued but the core not.  A  thicker CA might work 
there, but I think I would stick (sorry) with something more viscous 
and less likely to penetrate the felt or leather.

Someone mentioned Susan Graham's excellent article in the journal 
('83?).  Around that time Chris Robinson was giving seminars on 
precisely these issues, complete with how to make jigs, what to look 
for, how to do it, & etc...rather a graduate course in action 
work.  While I do not believe that it was ever a published product, 
surely someone must have notes from at least one of those.  They were 
absolutely first-rate.

Best.

Horace



>Keep us apprised of the solution and then how it holds up.
>
>Andrew Anderson
>
>At 11:34 PM 5/25/2006, you wrote:
>>Yes, I do understand the word warranty and at this point it's not a 
>>question of warranty or not.  It's getting fixed and because my 
>>customer insisted on it as part of the terms of the sale, the 
>>dealer is paying me to do the fixes (of course, they haven't sent 
>>me a check yet).  Whether it's warranty or dealer prep or anything 
>>else, it still has to be fixed.  The fixes will be based on my 
>>recommendations and I'm looking for something short of rehanging 
>>hammers on new shanks or replacing wippens that might have the same 
>>problem.  The piano was "prepped" as it were, and so far I've had 
>>to ease the jack pinning, repin all the hammer flanges, remove, 
>>polish and realign the damper wires to reduce noise and drag, ease 
>>the guide rail bushings, increase the dip so I didn't have to set 
>>the blow at 37 mm to get any aftertouch (not many leads in this 
>>action though).  Still have a few buzzes and whistles to deal with, 
>>the treble side of the action is moved in too far (strike point is 
>>correct) and it's creating a small problem getting the una corda to 
>>shift quietly (but at least the sharps aren't knocking against the 
>>fallboard).   You know, normal stuff.
>>
>>David Love
>>davidlovepianos at comcast.net
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [ mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] 
>>On Behalf Of Erwinspiano at aol.com
>>Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2006 8:55 PM
>>To: pianotech at ptg.org
>>Subject: Re: Clicking drop screws on a new Steinway
>>
>>  HI  David
>>   In the spirit of Jon Pages post.  Our new word for today is 
>> W-A-R-R-A-N-T-Y.
>>Repeat after me boys & girls...... warranty.  A 70 k piano has 
>>Warr....an....ty.
>>   Pinning the shanks!! Clicking drop screws.  I suggest a phone 
>> call to the factory yes ir ee.
>>   Perhaps the remedy is to buy German.  They seem to have gotten it right
>>    Dale
>>Re your other message, it is disturbing (actually the piano costs $70,000).
>>The shanks require repining (all of them were way too loose), and many jacks
>>required easing as they were too tight.  It's why I've given up on their
>>parts.
>>David Love
>>davidlovepianos at comcast.net
>>
>>
>>
>>Dale Erwin--Piano Restorations
>>4721 Parker Rd.
>>Modesto, Calif. 95357
>>Shop 209-577-8397
>>cell 209-985-0990
>>Web site <http://www.erwinspiano.com/>http://www.Erwinspiano.com
>>Specializing in the Restoration, Service & Sales of
>>Steinway & Sons, Mason & Hamlin, & other fine pianos
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