Chickering Brass Flanges

[michael wathen]

Horace,

I don't quite get the second paragraph.  These shanks end with a
birdseye that fits into the fork of the brass flanges. I appreciate more
help. Thanks.

Horace Greeley wrote:
> 
> Michael,
> 
> Hmmm - one might have suspected that the first "job" of 2000 would involve
> an antedeluvian (well, ok, at least antebellum) Chickering.
> 
> As to the shanks, Renner used to make shanks with "close enough" pin to
> knuckle measurements to be usable.  The trick was to machine down the
> sides of the shanks to match the more narrow Chickering originals.  It
> is fairly easy to make a jig for this purpose; over the years I have
> used both a router setup and a disk sander.  The trick, of course, is
> to get the material removed equally from both sides...you knew that.
> 
> The flanges are another matter.  I have always felt that part of
> Chickering's trouble was being just a bit too far ahead of whatever
> curve was acceptable.  The use of brass in actions actually made
> very good sense at the time (as does the use of graphite action parts,
> and laminated soundboards today).  From what I can make out from
> your pictures, the ones with which you are dealing are not the ones
> with some extra convolutions at the tongue.  That being the case,
> a competent machinist should be able to mill you some of these
> from (relatively) standard brass stock.  Having worked on a number of
> these over the years, let me urge you to have that worthy make a
> couple dozen, not just the four or five you need at the moment.
> 
> Also, while I would certainly like to know what methods others
> have used, I (eventually) gave up trying to glue new bushings
> into these flanges, and used the tightest weave cloth I could find,
> sized with a heated steel wire (held in a truly Harvey-esque device
> constructed from a 25 watt soldering iron with a light dimmer in
> its line cord).  "Normal" gluing either did not hold against the
> brass, or permeated the cloth - making it hard beyond use.
> 
> Cool pictures, by the way - How did you do that? Any particular
> suggestions?
> 
> Thanks, and best of luck.
> 
> Horace
> 
> At 06:31 PM 12/31/1999 -0500, you wrote:
> >I have a 1895 Chickering grand which was just purchased by a private
> >customer. I wants to replace the hammers and shanks using the existing
> >setup. I am looking for a supplier of the brass flanges as well as what
> >would now be considered custom shanks.  See the pictures at the link
> >below.
> >
> >I only need 5 or 6 flanges.  We plan to rebush the brass.  We will need
> >shanks.
> >
> >You help would be appreciated.  Please respond to the email address in
> >my signature.  Thanks.
> >
> >http://216.149.138.152/images/brassflnge1.jpg
> >http://216.149.138.152/images/brassflnge2.jpg
> >--
> >Michael Wathen
> >http://www.wapin.com
> 
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> 
> Horace Greeley,                         email:  hgreeley@stanford.edu
> CNA, MCP, RPT
> Systems Analyst/Engineer                voice:  650.725.9062
> Controller's Office                     fax:    650.725.8014
> Stanford University
> 651 Serra St., RM 100, MC 6215
> Stanford, CA 94305-6215
> 
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

-- 
Michael Wathen			
http://www.wapin.com