Michael Jorgensen wrote: > Del, > I LIED!!, but not intentionally -- so please forgive my stupidity --- This is called 'making a mistake,' it's certainly not stupidity. About the only folks I know of who make few mistakes are those who aren't doing much of anything. > ... without carefully examining the piano I said that Kranich and Bach > action cavities were not high. (I had heard this someplace and that > styling was the reason for the paper thin flimsy keyframe and other > action problems) This action is not so compressed as I thought so this > gives me hope that replacement is possible. > > DISTANCE FROM LOWEST POINT OF PINBLOCK/STRETCHER TO KEYBED = 6 1/16" > some areas are 6 and 3/32. This is between 154 and 156 mm. A bit more than is found in some Steinway pianos. It will take a bit of care in designing the key cross-section, but there is plenty of room there for a normal keyframe and keyset. > OTHER FACTS > > Length of cavity--4'2" minus action return spring and Keyframe stop > block (Correct term?) Translating that is 1270 mm. How wide is the stop block? > Length of action including keyframe and brackets = 4' 3/4" 1238 mm. That is a bit tight, but it can be done. What is the action center spacing of the various sections? I.e., what does the scale stick look like? It will probably be fairly uniform through the treble sections but will be variable through the bass and tenor. Not to worry... One way to measure this is to lay a tape (preferably using a metric scale) along the hammershank flange rail and measure to the bass side of each flange. Write the numbers down and you have the basis for a scale stick. Go back to the Journal and read Part II of the article on small vertical pianos. (Yes, yes, I know. Part III is a bit late -- blame it on the drawings. They've been difficult.) > width of piano = 4'6 1/2" 1384 mm. Not bad. The only piano I can think of that might be narrower than that is the Chickering Quarter Grand. I don't recall how wide that piano is, but it is just a bit narrower than is really practical. There should be at least some cheek block on both ends of the keyset. I've been using 1400 (55.1") as a practical minimum. With the exception of the Model D (at 156 cm), Steinway has done very well in this regard. The Model B is only 148 cm (58") wide. A factor that goes far to give it its pleasing aesthetic balance. > 4 Action Brackets exist with a max 18" span for the rails spanning the > top two sections One unison is under a plate brace. What do you mean, 'one unison is under a plate brace?' Are the hammershanks square to the action rails? Or do they flare slightly? > Keys are not flared very much. Brackets screw into 5 mm thick slats and > feet are under keys. What is the distance from the front of the key stick (not counting the front key covering) to the center of the balance pin and from the balance pin to the capstan line? > STRUCTURAL CONSIDERATIONS > Pinblock is 1 and 1/4 or 1 and 3/8" thick 35 mm (1-3/8") thick pinblocks are fairly common. Shouldn't be a problem. > 5/8" thick pinblock plate flange bears against two 5/8" thick plate > horns both screwed to Belly rail. Does this mean that there are two separate horns? Say, between the bass/tenor and the tenor/treble sections? > Plate crack begins next to plate flange near tenor break horn and moves > toward the keyboard where it turns and meanders up the row of tuning pin > holes closest to the keyboard. It goes almost to the next brace and > enters no screw holes. > Plate flanges, horns, braces- no cracks > Row of several plate/pinblock screws exist on both sides of crack. > Big screws go into stretcher > no plate screws are on braces in pinblock area. > Plate braces look very hefty. All of this makes it sound more and more like the crack is at least partially the result of the excessive pressure created by the oversize tuning pins driven through the plate bushings. Probably exacerbated by an already existing weakness in the plate casting and by the tuning pins being so close together through that area. > OTHER IDEAS/QUESTIONS YOU HAD FOR ME > Converting to open face design would not totally eliminate the crack > because it starts very near or at the pinblock flange. Structural > problems could arise because plate screw holes are into the tuning pin > webbing a little, i.e. surrounded on three sides by tuning pins. It would > look funny to have only the mid range open face Open Face clearly > wouldn't work in the bass as plate screws are in webbing with and none on > plate braces. OK. It was just a thought. > Yes this both challenges and scares me. Replacing pinblocks is not new > for me but rebuilding with a plate crack is. Never replaced a > soundboard, don't have the knowledge, skills, or tools and am unlikely > to invest for just that, since my calling is more and more away from > rebuilding. The pinblock and new strings I can do for a few hundred > dollars. Replacing the board and action, well --big bucks. At least > the action could be done later. If I were rich, I'd just send you the > piano and say "go be creative!" and give you a blank check but I don't > have tens of thousands. > > However something should be done about tuning pins so loose that looking > at them makes them jump down a fifth. With any project like this if you expect to be able bill for every hour that you put into it you're bound to end up very frustrated and disappointed. I would suggest that you view it as a learning experience. Fortunately, it's your own piano. I would never recommend that you do this type of job on a customers piano. At least not without the direct guidance of a more experienced rebuilder/remanufacturer to guide you. And to help pick up the pieces. (Yes, you should be prepared to pay him/her for the time.) And, yes. There are a few projects of this type in my own deep, dark past. I agree with your game plan. In your present circumstance you should concentrate on the pinblock and plate problem -- well, I'd probably advise my client to replace the undoubtedly obsolete damper tray as well. Leave the action for later. When the time comes it shouldn't be all that difficult to design an new keyset and keyframe for the piano. (Rick Wheeler in Portland, Oregon is experienced at making new key and keyframe sets from drawings.) For now, just worry about the plate and block. Regards, Del
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