David ilvedson wrote: > > List, > > Steinway B, teflon...I will be installing new shanks and > flanges. Pro & Cons of Steinway NY parts or Renner parts. > > Thanks in advance > > David Ilvedson, RPT > Pacifica, CA > ilvey@jps.net A few years ago I tried the new $&$ action parts. The bushing felt was not dense enough and the flanges and bird's eyes had too much play making accurate spacing impossible. I am not going to make that mistake again and I only use Renner parts. My rebuilding work dates back to the early eighties when Renner parts were not readily available. I used the parts that $&$ made to replace the Teflon parts. They called these new parts permafree II. I recently reworked one of these actions and have gained further insight into how the parts hold up. The new shanks and flanges are now the worst parts in the action. The pining is now very loose and the wood looks like something has been chewing them. Is it rely too much to ask to have the highest quality dense bushing felt in our action parts. How much more does this cost? Couldn't they also further insure a firm bushing by pinning tight and then use a shrink solution to achieve final fit? I can only guess that the wood surface problem comes from using dull tooling. The machine compresses parts more than cutting. This damages the fibers. Over time with changes in humidity the fibers come loose from the surface. I could further speculate that the waxy film found on their Teflon era parts was an attempt to remedy this hairy problem. I haven't used $&$ hammers in over 12 years. I do full time rebuilding and have never felt under any pressure from my clients to use the manufacturer's parts. The kind of clients I have seem to understand that it is part of my job to spend their money on replacement parts the I deem the most suitable, best quality at a reasonable cost. JH
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC