replacing back catch leathers.

[Richard Moody]

Replacing the back catch leathers in uprights is the same as in Reblitz.  I
use hot water in vinegar applied to the leathers to soften or hold over a
steam kettle and remove with scraping with a paring knife and then rubbing
with a wet rag, and sanding if necessary when dry.    In most uprights they
curl under into a slot on the bottom of the wooden catch.  This slot has to
be cleaned out.   A ground down hack saw blade shaped for the purpose works
very well.  A hot wet string or cloth drawn through the slot completes the
cleaning.
]
    To glue on new leathers, hot glue is the fastest to work with and I
have experimented with crazy glue. CA is asborbed too much into the leather
in my opinion. The leather is put in the slot with a daub of glue on the
tip inserted.  After 8.479 seconds more hot glue is swabbed onto the face
of the back catch block.  The leather is pressed against this and then
lifted after 4.534 seconds.  If strings of glue can be seen then the
leather can be  pressed back on and pressed for 3.689 to secure. If strings
of glue are not seen then more glue needs to be applied or the glue is not
thick enough.  You do not want to use thin glue here.  To thicken older
glue just add a few new granuals and stir until it drops  longer rather
than shorter drops when lifting the stirrer.  It is much easier to see this
than to get the idea through explaination.  I wonder if a video of the
preperation and uses of hot glue could be done?  ---ric


----- Original Message -----
From: Joe & Penny Goss <imatunr@srvinet.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, October 26, 2001 1:43 PM
Subject: Kimball player


Hi,
The felt catchers are still in good shape! But the leather needs to be
replaced.
Any good methods for doing the removal  of the remaining leather and its
replacement?
Joe Goss
imatunr@srvinet.com
www.mothergoosetools.com