brass hammer rails repair or replace?

[Tom Cole]

Andy,

First of all, when you say "orchestration", I assume that you mean
"orchestrion", a player piano with all the bells and whistles.

I think that this piano rates the conversion-to-wooden-flange option.
The brass rail could be duplicated but, unless this is going to be
exhibited in a Baldwin museum, wooden flanges are the tried-and-proven
design.

Carefully measure where the old center pins are in relation to some
reference point, so that you can then calculate how much material to
remove from the action rail to accomodate the wooden flanges. You can
cut the rabbet with a table saw or a router table to get the basic
recess. It would be nice if you could also create a little spline to fit
into the corresponding notch of the flange.

Then, using the brass rail as a scale stick, you can mark and drill for
the flange screws.

This may be written up in PTJ. Let me know if you need a more thorough
description.

Tom

Andy&Chris Taylor wrote:
> 
> Hi
> I just acquired a nice old Baldwin Ellington upright, A very pretty tiger
> Oak piano, great tone. it was Free and now I know why.
> 
> This piano will most likely become a orchestration (I make all the
> components myself but the spoolframe) so it will most likely get some hard
> use.
> 
> The piano action has a brass hammer butt flange, YUCK! and some hammers are
> falling out and getting loose. its terrible! This is the first Baldwin
> upright I have ever seen with this type of hammer mounting all the rest I
> have seen have flanges!
> 
> I have a few choices to make and I am in need of advice.
> 
> repair the brass rail?
> replace the brass rail?
> buy some new butts and "convert" the action to a 'flange type"(it is
> possible I think) it does need new butts and hammers anyway.
> forget this piano and choose another?
> 
> Thanks in advance
> Andy Taylor
> PPD....(player piano dude)



-- 
Thomas A. Cole RPT
Santa Cruz, CA