Steinway let-off screws

[Roger Jolly]

Hi David,
             If you have enough material to get a grip , heat the stubs
with a high wattage soldering iron.  A dab of WD40 can help prior to
heating, grip the end and back out.
Method #2. Cut about a 4" piece of 1/2" dowel drill a 3/16" hole in the top
of the dowel.
Align the let off screw with the hole, using the dowel to support the rail,
punch the screw into the hole with a nail set punch, or a nail with the end
ground flat.
Drill the hole out to 1/4", glue a 1/4" maple plug into the hole.  Redrill
to accept a new let off screw.
Remember the grain HAS to run in the same direction as the original. A
screw thread will not last into the end grain of a 1/4" dowel.
Roger



At 07:06 PM 22/10/00 -0700, you wrote:
>List,
>
>I have a Steinway let-off screw with a broken eye.  I began turning out from
>the bottom with a needle-nose vise-grip and it went about a 1/4 of the way
>and then broke.  Any ideas on how to remove it?  I'm thinking about drilling
>it out but the brass and dowel will be softer than the screw...pretty small
>for an EZ out.
>
>David I.
> 
Roger Jolly
Saskatoon, Canada.
306-665-0213
Fax 652-0505