drop action, action bracket screw removal

[David ilvedson]

Hi Frank,

I read everyone's advice and thought I'd add an experience I had 
just the other day.  A Kimball console with a drifting jack 
center pin.  These pianos are notorious for tight action bracket 
bolts.  I think they use air powered equipment and sink those 
suckers in.  Anyhow I proceed to try to turn the phillips head 
screws out (I really hate phillips heads!)I could turn them a 
little bit but I could see that I was going to bitch up the 
head.  Like Wim had suggested I tried my little handy vicegrip 
on the the head and was able to get one screw finally loose 
enough to remove with the screwdriver.  I lubed up the threads 
with Protek thick lube and turned it back in and out until it 
went in fairly easily.  I proceeded to do this to each screw one 
at a time.  I pulled the action removed the wippen and did the 
repair and reinstalled with the original screws not bitched up a 
bit.  

David ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA

> Date:          Fri, 09 Oct 1998 15:07:38 -0400
> From:          Frank Cahill <fcahill@erols.com>
> To:            pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject:       drop action, action bracket screw removal
> Reply-to:      pianotech@ptg.org

> I was working on a Hamilton spinet today.  I needed to remove the
> drop-action.  Well...I couldn't budge any of the bracket screws that
> attached the bracket to the paino.  
> 
> Often, these screws are tough to get out, but I could not get even the
> slightest bit of movement on any of the screws.
> 
> I tried liquid wrench...no help.
> 
> I did not have s socket wrench with me, justs screwdrivers and a
> crescent wrench.  I didn't try too hard with the wrench, for fear of
> damaging the screw head.
> 
> I've never had this problem before....and I take lots of drop-actions
> out of pianos.  Any other ideas other than drilling?
> -- 
> 
> Frank Cahill
> Associate Member
> Northern Va
> 
> 
David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA
ilvey@jps.net