Action 'replacement (was:Re: Musical Soundwaves)

[gordon stelter]

Thanks Jim! 
     Actually, that was a bit of a trick question. The
truth be known, I ALREADY replaced all the smelly,
gooey ( cooking oils & pets, I think ) stinking,
sticking Teflon (TM) parts on this 1896 B with much
nicer ones from other pianos, refelted the keybed,
replaced the backchecks and and fully regulated the
action. I did all this because the University said
that I could play the piano for Sunday brunch ( for
pay ) and that sounded like fun! Then they decided to
let students ( much less accomplished ) play the
brunch, and I am now out for all that labor, on a
piano that the University's own technicians said could
not be fixed!!!!!!!  I would simply like to show them
what some other technicians would have charged ( for
the labor only. Parts have been paid for ) thereby
giving them an opprtunity to compensate me if their
conciences(?) bug them!
    Most Sincerely
    Gordon

 --- Jon Page <jonpage@attbi.com> wrote:
> At 07:18 AM 8/2/2002 -0700, you wrote:
> >Dear Fellow Techs,
> >      The University here has an 1896 Steinway B in
> >which someone installed a Teflon (TM) action back
> in
> >the 60's. It is all gummed up and otherwise does
> not
> >work properly, making the piano unplayable. I have
> a
> >barely used, excellent condition set of regular
> parts
> >to replace them, and am trying to convince 
> University
> >officials of the value of the labor involved,
> >including a hammer filing, thorough action
> regulation
> >and replacements of the backchecks. Your comments
> on
> >what this amount of work is worth would  be most
> >appreciated, and I will be showing these comments
> to
> >the aforementioned parties. I am a meticulous,
> careful
> >technician with 25 years experience.
> >      Most Sincerely,
> >      Gordon Lee Stelter
> 
> If the centers are tight, repin. What is the reason
> for the stiffness? This 
> action should work if the friction is tended to.
> If the hammers, shanks & flanges are 40 years old in
> an institutional 
> setting then replace with new material unless
> the salvaged parts meet the criteria below and
> budget constraints prevent 
> new parts.
> 
> As far as replacing the parts with salvaged parts,
> there are a few 
> consideration:
> Knuckle radius (distance from center pin), Knuckle
> Size as well.
> Shank Length (distance from hammer center pin to
> hammer molding center)
> Hammer Bore (length of hammer, center of shank to
> hammer tip)
> 
> Shank Length and Hammer Bore are of paramount
> consideration.
> Calculate what the bore should be: String Height
> minus Hammer Center Height
> 
> Don't forget, the number of bass notes. The A's thru
> D's have 20 note 
> basses while the S, M, L have 26.
> 
> The thing to do first would be to fit a few parts on
> and see if they regulate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Jon Page,   piano technician
> Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass.
> mailto:jonpage@attbi.com
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> 


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