broken action bracket

[Zen Reinhardt]

Hi Cindy!!

A couple of questions ...

What kind of piano does this action belong to?  About how old is the piano?
 I know that Young Chang had a problem with the metal brackets the better
part of 10 years ago and are quick to send out replacement brackets.  If
indeed this piano was built by Young Chang,  call Phil Glenn at 800 421
9846.

The trouble with crystallized metal is that there is really nothing you can
do for it -- you'll have to replace the parts in question.  As you've
already noted, the stuff is very weak and brittle.  The parts you're
dealing with are probably a little swollen-looking, something that happens
with crystallization.  All the more reason to replace the parts, if
possible.  I remember once hearing an explanation that the crystallization
occurs when the alloy from which the part was made didn't cool properly
after casting -- I'll have to look into that one again.  Anyway, it is a
problem that has turned up from time to time in metal fabrication, much
less so now than 40-50 years ago before they understood what was going on.

Good luck!

ZR!  RPT
Ann Arbor  MI
diskladame@provide.net

----------
> From: PianoNurse@aol.com
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: broken action bracket
> Date: Wednesday, August 06, 1997 7:04 PM
> 
> Hi List,
> 
> Well, here goes my first post...this problem is beyond my knowledge.
> 
> This afternoon, while screwing down the stack to the keyframe, one of the
> action brackets broke as if it were made out of sand.  I had noticed that
the
> brackets were just full of cracks and that one of the brackets was
already
> broken at the screwhole where it is screwed to the hammer flange rail. 
The
> metal seemed to be very soft so I tried to be careful screwing the stack
> down, but alas, the metal just fell apart.
> 
> One thing I thought was interesting is that the break is NOT through the
> screwhole, it is behind it.  The entire screwhole is intact with about
1/8"
> to spare before the break point.
> 
> Does anyone have a suggestion on how to repair this monstrosity and what
to
> use?  Is there a "glue" for metal?  Should I torch the piano and tell the
> customer my dog ate it?  Oh Lord, I need help.  Thanks in advance to
anyone
> who can tell me what to do and how well it works.
> 
> Cindy Crombach, RPT
> Rochester, NY