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Michael,<br>
<br>
At 04:06 PM 1/2/00 -0500, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite cite>Horace,<br>
<br>
I don't quite get the second paragraph. These shanks end with
a<br>
birdseye that fits into the fork of the brass flanges. I appreciate
more<br>
help. Thanks.</blockquote><br>
Sorry, I am not sure I understand what you mean.<br>
<br>
In your pictures, these are quite ordinary looking shanks<br>
- except that they _appear_ to have the more narrow (width)<br>
of many brass-action Chickerings I have seen. The Renner<br>
shanks are/were (somewhat) too wide (in terms of OD). (This<br>
would be measured across the width, just at the point where<br>
the milling for the tongue starts.) Thus, the any necessary<br>
narrowing would be done from that point forward (inclusive<br>
of milling the knuckle, which is why Newton's solution sounds<br>
good to me). Does that help any? Sorry for any
confusion.<br>
<br>
Hmm - I think I also may be thinking of something that Renner<br>
had available for (I think it was) older Bechstein. That part<br>
had a fairly largish birdseye area, with a notch on the underside<br>
roughly adjacent to the knuckle to accomodate the different<br>
action. (...which was rather like a square, or English
"Backers"<br>
action.) The flange/shank combination in your pictures was
not<br>
in production very long, and was replaced (in some iterations)<br>
by the type I referred to - which had a tongue of brass machined<br>
as part of the flange, and then bent (more or less, depending on<br>
the type of "clip" or plate used to hold it in place on
the<br>
center pin, which was, in turn, simply run between the forks of<br>
the yoke on the shank). (One, much earlier - ca 1850 "wing
spinet"<br>
Chickering I used to work on in LA, had the kind of shank as<br>
in your pictures, with a machined rail in part as well as<br>
separate flanges as you show, in part, throughout its 53<br>
note range.)<br>
<br>
Also, while the shanks themselves are not too thick, I seem<br>
to remember that the drop screws were just long enough to<br>
cause problems.<br>
<br>
Hmmm (again, sorry) - Pleyel used a similar system as late<br>
as WWI, with a much more modern style action than the Bechstein<br>
one I was thinking of. Maybe Herkshers (in England, Barrie<br>
would know) would have a line on some kind of replacement;<br>
or, one of our friends on the Continent.<br>
<br>
Idle ramblings, I fear. Still, I'll see if I cannot find
something<br>
more helpful.<br>
<br>
<br>
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<br>
<div>Horace Greeley,
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