[CAUT] In need of Mason & Hamlin shift lever

[Ron Overs]

Hi Jeannie and all,

I've come to this thread late, so I may be repeating info which may 
already have been posted, however . . .

Most shift levers, with the exception of some more recent examples, 
are made from cast iron. This material is very easy to weld with off 
the shelf cast iron arc-welding rods (which use nickel as the filler 
material). If you take the broken shift lever to any local welding 
shop they should be able to fix it for you.

Broken cast iron pedals are also easy to weld. For those of you who 
are busting to weld broken pedals yourself, here's a couple of tips. 
Normally, when welding a broken item such as a sustain pedal, I grind 
a 'V' to a depth of half the break depth to allow for the weld fillet 
to be recessed into the lever cross section. After the first half of 
the break-depth is welded, I grind a 'V' into the remaining half of 
the break on the opposite side of the lever before running the final 
weld seam. I usually clamp the lever straight for the first weld 
seam. The lever will bend a little at the weld joint when it cools. 
When welding the second seam I allow the lever to be free during the 
welding process. The lever will usually pull straight as the second 
weld seam cools. The excess filler metal can be ground to return the 
lever to its original cross sectional dimensions.

Our 225 piano has a cast iron shift lever, and like most examples, 
the original design of the lever is a pretty ordinary affair, which 
results in the shift tongue pulling the key frame down towards the 
key bed as the shift pedal is depressed. I rectify this problem by 
cutting and welding the tongue in a new position.

Below is an image of a shift pedal for our 225 piano, cut and jigged 
in its new position in preparation for being welded.



Below is an image of the shift lever after welding and finish 
grinding. I've set the pedal up at the angle it will sit in the 
piano, but inverted. This allows me to grind the leather pad mounting 
surface so that the pad can sit square to the pedal rod. I also grind 
the shift tongue and polish it so that it mates with the keyframe 
without causing unnecessary wear.
Ron O.




>Hello everyone,
>When I arrived to tune the Mason & Hamlin BB at the local church for the
>gala Christmas event there was a note asking me to adjust the "soft pedal"
>since it "slipped out" when they took the piano off the stage.  Would that
>it were only that simple.  The shift lever is broken in two.  They hadn't
>removed the lyre when they moved it off the stage.  (I don't even want to
>try to imagine the scenario....)  Supply houses no longer carry these;
>PianoDisc (Mason & Hamlin) doesn't have them.  My only chance is for one of
>you out there to part with one that you might have been saving for just such
>an emergency.  The piano is 1975 vintage; serial number: 79822.  If you
>think you might have something I can use, please contact me.  We'll compare
>notes.  Thanks much,
>jeannie
>
>
>Jeannie Grassi, RPT
>Registered Piano Technician
>Island Piano Service
>Bainbridge Island, WA
>206-842-3721
>mailto:jcgrassi at earthlink.net


-- 
OVERS PIANOS - SYDNEY
    Grand Piano Manufacturers
_______________________

Web http://overspianos.com.au
mailto:ron at overspianos.com.au
_______________________
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