adjusting capstans

J Patrick Draine draine@mediaone.net
Thu, 11 Jan 2001 16:49:22 -0500


>Hi Everyone,
>
>I just got an action that I've never seen before and I have a question about
>it. Hopefully some one out there has run in to this. It's a 50 year old
>chickering

Are you sure it's only 50 years old? This sounds like an older Boston 
Chickering; a 1950 Chickering would have been made in the Aeolian E. 
Rochester factory (I think), and I believe the action design would 
have been "homogenized" by then.

>  and the key sticks are not on one plane from front to back. It
>dips down behind the balance rail pin so consequently there is no access to
>the capstan. There is access from the rear of the action but still no room
>to turn them as the back check wires are in the way. How in the world does
>one adjust a hammer line with this sucker?
>

I think Chris Lovgren once mentioned that by putting a couple bends 
in a darning needle she could get at them.
I'd suggest pulling the stack, cranking them each up a turn (or 
whatever), reinstall the stack, mark keys with chalk as to how many 
more turns necessary for each, repeat procedure, etc. Then bill the 
customer appropriately; it's not your fault it was built that way!

Patrick


This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC