[CAUT] Steinway rail re-doweling

[Horace Greeley]

Hi, Tim,

At 04:45 AM 7/12/2006, you wrote:
>Hi Horace,
>
>Thanks for information about the scales.

Most welcome.

>  As I have not gone the route of buying new,  I thought it should 
> be brought into the discussion.

Absolutely!

>   I do know it has been done, but not sure how this tech does 
> it.  This is a highly respected tech.  I don't think it is worth 
> pursuing for the reasons you mentioned.  I was hoping someone who 
> uses this method might speak up.

I do think that simply replacing the whole set new from S&S can work 
very well for later production...probably anything after the 
mid/late-80's.  Early than that can be more dicey.

>John was very concerned about shipping.  He sent a custom  made 
>"Anvil" shipping case.  The shipping was quite expensive.  And yes 
>it was a single rail.  The work was beautiful.   You know the solder 
>joints have been checked.

However expensive, I am glad to know that the work is so good.  If 
one is not set up for doing this, it's great to have an option.

>After seeing Mark Cramer's directions and pictures I would suggest 
>looking into replacing myself.    When Mark creates directions they 
>are precise.

I agree...now, if I could just remember where I saw them 
posted...sorry, I've had some very bad EM-days/weeks recently and 
fear that I have lost many things.

>  I have directions Mark gave me for another procedure to proof by 
> doing for an extremely complicated type of installation.  There was 
> nothing to change in his directions.  I am sure the same holds true 
> in re-doweling the rail directions.

That was my read, as well.

Best.

Horace



>Tim Coates
>
>
>On Jul 12, 2006, at 12:28 AM, Horace Greeley wrote:
>
>>
>>Hi, Tim,
>>
>>
>>At 06:16 PM 7/11/2006, you wrote:
>>>When I had John re-dowel a rail it was about $600 when the 
>>>shipping was figured in.
>>
>>Was this for a single rail?
>>
>>>  Later I was informed that a new complete action frame with holes 
>>> drilled and let off buttons installed was about $260.  The person 
>>> who informed me of this doesn't bother re-doweling because it is 
>>> not cost effective.   The numbers may have changed as far as SS 
>>> cost, but I think the math may still speak for itself.
>>
>>Yes...and...fwiw, having done this both ways a number of times, I 
>>think that using a new stack from S&S may not always be the right 
>>choice.  There have been many changes in the scales over time, and 
>>the factory is not interested in doing anything that does not 
>>comport with whatever the current specifications are.  I've been 
>>burned on this with both Bs and Ds, and wound up redoweling or 
>>drilling new blank rails for myself so as to get an accurate scale.
>>
>>Dave P. mentioned a write-up on redoweling by Mark Cramer.  I 
>>cannot find it at the moment, but seem to remember seeing (online?) 
>>fairly recently.  Anyway, I thought that his procedure was very 
>>good, well thought-out and easily replicated (with 
>>care/etc).  Also, while I do not know how much of it ever got 
>>published in the journal, Chris Robinson used to teach classes on 
>>action rail replacement that were really first-rate.
>>
>>Best.
>>
>>Horace
>>
>>
>>
>>>Tim Coates
>>>
>>>
>>>On Jul 11, 2006, at 11:37 AM, Alan McCoy wrote:
>>>
>>>>I'll echo what others have said about John Dewey. He replaced several rails
>>>>for me that had cracked out. Very nice work. He had a good display in
>>>>Rochester.
>>>>
>>>>Alan
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>-- Alan McCoy, RPT
>>>>Eastern Washington University
>>>>amccoy at mail.ewu.edu
>>>>509-359-4627
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>From: Rob & Helen Goodale <rrg at unlv.nevada.edu>
>>>>>Reply-To: "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>" 
>>>>><caut at ptg.org>
>>>>>Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2006 08:39:13 -0700
>>>>>To: <caut at ptg.org>
>>>>>Subject: [CAUT] Steinway rail re-doweling
>>>>>
>>>>>Hello,
>>>>>
>>>>>Can someone tell me who does Steinway rail re-doweling?  I 
>>>>>attended a class at
>>>>>a convention a few years back with someone who does it but I 
>>>>>can't remember
>>>>>the name.  I know there are a few others out there who do it as 
>>>>>well.  I have
>>>>>a customer with a 1908 model "A" she is interested in rebuilding.
>>>>>There
>>>>>doesn't appear to be any stripped screw holes as of yet but with 
>>>>>it's age I'm
>>>>>sure it's ready to be re-done anyway as long is I'm doing everything else.
>>>>>
>>>>>Anyone have an estimate of how much this costs?
>>>>>
>>>>>Rob Goodale, RPT
>>>>>Las Vegas, NV