Spring Rail Rebuilding

[John Delacour]

At 21:02 19/09/01 -0400, Farrell wrote:


>  I guess
>I can drill next to them, but that will screw up alignment a tad - maybe not
>too much. There is nothing to grab on to to pull on. Any recommendations for
>removal? Or should I just drill right next to original hole? I am constantly
>amazed at little tricks to remove original stuff.

Try filing the face of the rail down until you are able to file a flat end 
on the wire end, then push it out with a sharp awl centered on the flat 
end.  If that doesn't work, saw down to the hole with a Japanese saw, get 
the wire out and then glue a shaving of wood in the kerf.

>Also, I purchased medium and heavy hammer butt springs. What is the accepted
>wisdom in placing these? If both are to be used, I suspect heavy in bass and
>at some point in scale switch to medium. Should both be used? Where should
>the change be made?

The pressure exerted by a butt spring rarely needs to be very great.  Its 
purpose is mainly to prevent the hammer falling forward onto the 
string.  Provided the hammer falls slowly back into the check after let-off 
when you press the key very slowly, the butt spring is doing its 
work.  Repetition will suffer if the spring is too strong.

JD