Tight Flanges trick

[Dave Nereson]

----- Original Message -----
From: Joseph Garrett <joegarrett@earthlink.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2002 10:36 AM
Subject: Tight Flanges trick


> I would hesitate to remove the hammer flange rail and set it up in a
> "home-made" jig, in order to check the swings. On many actions there is a
> wide variance, of placement of the  rail, that is there during
> manufacturing. (ie elongated holes to facilitate the action spread) If you
> chose to do it that way, I'd make darn sure to take measurements of the
> action BEFORE taking it off. IMHO why bother when there's an easier way,
> using an upright action cradle?
> Regards,
> Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)

    Yeah, that's true.  I find on many grand actions that the hammer rail
sits in a "cradle" that positively locates it in one place and that it's the
main action rail (wippens) that adjusts in or out for the action spread.
But I'm sure there are exceptions.  Also, I don't have an upright action
cradle -- haven't direly needed one as yet.  Some vertical actions don't
have feet so that the thing will stand on its own -- then I use one of those
telescoping action bracket props that screw to the bench (meant for securing
the action to the action bolt when setting the action on the key blocks).
    The action cradles I've seen seem either unwieldy or hard to adjust or
unnecessarily heavy or the clamps meant to hold the action brackets look
like something from a Polish truck.    What's the "best" one available?
    TIA.               --David Nereson, RPT, Denver