Everett vertical pinblock separation

[Roger Jolly]

At 08:52 PM 12/10/97 EST, Maxpiano wrote:
>List -
>
>I tuned an Everett vertical today - ca 1942 vintage - with about 1/8"
>separation between the pinblock and the remainder of the back.  Since the
>assembly was protected by 4 carriage bolts from the back through the plate,
>and had the Everett trademark cast iron "levers" (backposts), I pointed the
>crack out to the customer but gave the judgment that there would be no
>problem.  The piano tuned up to A=440 with no difficulty.
>
>On standard back construction (wood backposts) I would have recommended a
>repair.  I have never seen this problem on that style Everett before.  Has
>anyone else run into this?  What has been your experience i.e. prognosis?
>
>Bill Maxim, RPT
>
>Hi Bill,
         That seems an awfully wide seperation.  Normally the tuning
quality is not that long lasting. 
 I would recommend that you drop the tension and see if the bolts will pull
the back assy. in place. If so, loosen the bolts, use 24Hr Epoxy and heat
with hair drier, you will find the epoxy will run like water, get lots of
it into the seperation, then tighten, if some of the epoxy does not squeeze
back out get some more into the crack. Caution! do not over heat the epoxy
as you can cure the 24Hr.epoxy in 20min with heat.
 Pull to tension and retune 24Hrs later. Remember to allow for spacing and
some damper work in your quote.
  With that amount of seperation I would also use 5 or 6 large C clamps to
help suck the whole thing back together
Roger Jolly
University of Saskatchewan
Dept. of Music.