Wim said: "This is a picture of Baldwin hammers, with the felt coming loose from the molding. Since I've been here, I've replaced about dozen sets, and glued the felt back on about 3 or 4 dozen pianos. The thing is, I don't think I ever saw this when I was in St. Louis or in Alabama, but then I didn't service that many Baldwins back then. The question I have is, is it just happening in Hawaii because of the climate, or is this happening all over the country because Baldwin hammers were not glued properly at the factory, and without staples, and they are just now starting to come loose after 10 - 15 years?" Wim, Probably the excessive moisture. I just reglued about 1/2 of a set of hammers on a Kimball, 5'2" PSO. The piano spent most of it's life on the Southern California Coast, (house on the beach, sort of thang<G>). Think about it, the wood and the felt are prone to absorb water moisture...the glue line hasn't got a chance in hell of holding on to that, imo. BTW, I made 20 clamps, out of pinblock material, starting from an example I found on an Antique Tool Site: http://www.msheperdpiano.com/Martin_Shepard_Piano_Service/Mis... I'm getting this info off of the printed sheet. It was "100_0378.jpg (JPEG Image 446x276 pixels)" I modified the original design, but the same principal applies. Worked really slick! It's now back in the piano, with very little tonal differences, (voicable)! I demonstrated it at a Chapter meeting and have done a follow up newletter blurb. If I could ever figger out how to get pics off of my digital onto a post, I'll send some.<G> Regards, joe Joe Garrett, R.P.T. Captain of the Tool Police Squares R I
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