[pianotech] Repair to console music desk

[Paul McCloud]

Yes, many of the new Chinese and other imports are doing this.  More expense to produce, but a hundred times stronger.  You wonder where longevity fits into the equation, though, and where to put value.  A hundred years hence, we'll still have nice music desk hardware on the piano buried in the landfill.  In the meantime, it's better than the old system.  Be sure to save those old hinges, though, since we need to document what mistakes were done in the past.  No one will believe what those morons were doing in the olden days before planned obsolescence.

Paul MCcLoUd

----- Original Message -----
From: "paul bruesch" <paul at bruesch.net>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Friday, September 7, 2012 11:01:20 AM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Repair to console music desk

I have seen such a thing which I'm pretty certain was factory original. The third hole was tapped for a machine screw. IMO, a far less bad design than a wood screw into whateverness. 


Paul Bruesch 
Stillwater, MN 


On Fri, Sep 7, 2012 at 10:23 AM, Susan Kline < skline at peak.org > wrote: 



I think what is "best" depends on how bad the break is and what situation the piano is in. 

One decent repair of this inherently fragile system which I've seen is a strip of brass about two inches long, screwed into the back of the music desk, which bends around the end. Three holes, two for the screws into the back of the desk, and one which is just big enough for the end screw to go through. I'd put epoxy into the splits and let it set up before installing the brass. 

If I remember right, I've seen this setup factory original as well. 

If I'm putting one of these music desks back on (without the brass strip), I always warn the owner not to tighten the screws. Always leave enough room for the music desk to move side to side a fraction of an inch. Screws into end grain -- what a lousy idea. 

Susan Kline