KIMBALL DOUBLE BRASS FLANGE REPAIR I had a customer call that needed their Kimball upright tuned and "several hammers were off and needed to be re-installed". I inspected the action in the piano in the customers home, cleaned a lot of crud away from the brass rail area and knew right away what I was looking at from my studies and not from experience. The customer agreed to an estimate to cover pulling the action, taking it to my home, repair parts, labor, return the action and installing it, pitch raise (24 to 30 cents flat) and fine tuning. Kimball upright, SN130447, 1904, with five broken flanges on the "V" of the tongue of the double brass flange. After searching the archives for information on the repair of these flanges the only information I found were discussions between Keith McGavern, Phil Bondi, Clyde Hollinger, Terry Farrell, Mike Kurta and John Ross that circled the subject and didn't give any outline of a successful repair using the brass repair clips. There were several side comments about "walking flange pins" and the "correct fix is a new rail or conversion to wooden flanges" posted, with several words of caution about walking away from the piano and suggesting to the owner "replacing the piano and invite them to get a second opinion". I sought some advice, privately, from Joe Garrett, and talked with Don at Schaff Piano Supply. I already had a dozen each of several of the repair clips, but did not have any of the one part I would need which was the #513KA repair clip. I ordered a dozen and started removing a few parts to allow for working and sight space. The following is my outline of the complete steps and tools needed which did work successfully. Tools needed: 1. 2.0 mm, 5/64", Titanium coated bit, hex mandrel 2. 2.4 mm, 3/32", Titanium coated bit, hex mandrel 3. 6" Quick Change Adapter "Irwin", extension, hex mandrel 4. Drill motor, 7.2V 5. Jack Holding Tool, Pg 42, part #129, Schaff Catalog 6. Forceps w/serrated jaws, lock into place, Pg 41, part #162, Schaff Catalog 7. Spring Hook, Pg 39, part #91C 8. Narrow face file, to file brass tongue stub at "V". 9. Screw driver, "Kimball Screwdriver", Pg 37, part #4106 and tool handle. Or, grind narrow, long handle screw driver face to 1/8" width to fit the flange screws. Joe Garrett made this suggestion on grinding the face width down, but also had hand made a screw driver. 10. Butt Plate Inserter, Pg 63, part #128, Schaff Catalog. 11. Very good lighting from top of rack and at front. 12. Upright/spinet action cradle. Repair Steps: 1. With the action in a cradle and vertical, remove bridle strap from the bridle wire, and the screws from the wippen flange on the butt to be repaired and at least two each side of that butt flange. Drop the wippen, sticker and backcheck and let it lay out flat on your work surface. In my case I had to repair the flanges from D4 through F4. 2. The original tongue had broken off at the "V" leaving a very small < on the leading edge of the tongue on the double brass rail. This < must be filed flat in order for the lower repair flange to fit snug. 3. With a narrow (1/2") wide file, file the < off leaving a clean square edge on the tongue. IMPORTANT STEP There are no directions with the repair clips from Schaff. SO, the rest of this paragraph is described to let you know why you'll next go to step 4. I attempted to secure the top part of the repair flange by inserting the screw through the hole in the top repair flange piece; placing the screw through the un-threaded hole in the flange tongue using my forceps; then holding the bottom piece of the repair flange with the Butt Plate Inserter, flush with the tab hole and under the screw. Then turning the screw to thread it into the threaded hole in the bottom repair flange. I attempted this three times and each time I had a "thread lock" leaving a minute space between the bottom of the tongue and the top surface of the bottom repair flange piece. So, I proceeded to step four. 4. Using a 2.0mm bit with a 6" Quick Change Adpater, which allowed me to hold my screw gun above the rack with the adapter perpendicular to the flange rail and between the butt springs, I first drilled out the screw threads in the rail tongue, VERY slowly, no undue pressure. Just let the bit ream out the threads. 5. Then change the bit to a 2.4mm bit and again with the adapter vertical and between the butt springs, bore out the hole to 2.4mm. Vacuum out the brass shavings residue. 6. With the forceps holding onto the leading ledge of the top repair flange, and with the screw in place in the top flange, drop the screw through the un-threaded hole in the tongue. 7. With the butt plate inserter in your left hand, place the bottom piece of the repair clip in the inserter face opening - snugly - (the inserter face opening is slightly narrower than the repair piece, so push the repair piece down). The bottom repair clip piece now had the "V" facing up and back towards you and the threaded hole away from you. 8. With your narrow head screw driver, insert down between the butt springs, and slowly turn the screw. Hold the bottom repair clip piece flush to the bottom of the tab bottom. As you turn the screw driver with your right hand, gently move the bottom repair clip piece until you feel the screw threads grab hold of the bottom repair clip. You will not be able to thread the screw completely through the bottom piece because of the inserter being in the way. So now with the screw firmly into the bottom repair clip, remove the inserter and take hold of the bottom repair clip with your forceps with a vertical grip and lock the forceps. I will say at this point, I could have done without the clip inserter and only used the forceps. 9. Turn the screw and draw the bottom repair clip up, keeping an eye on the top repair flange piece so that the notched end of the top piece stays in place on the brass flange "Notch Dimple or Boss". (Sorry, I don't know what the boss is really called, but you'll know as soon as you start working on one of these brass rails). Draw the bottom up now leaving a small space for the butt flange pin to drop horizontally down through. You may have to attempt this a couple times until you get the "feel, sound and sight" of this space. 10. Have your screw driver positioned on your right hand side for this next step. With your left hand, take hold of the hammer head with your index finger on the face of the hammer and your thumb on the back of the molding. Insert the catcher end down between the hammer rail and the spring rail. With your right hand thumb and index finger, take hold of the catcher, and gently move the butt flange in position around the new repair clips. This is actually a straight in approach, you'll want to eyeball it from the top and from the side. I had five hammers removed, so I worked from my left to the right, and "eyeing" the position of the pin, and it's proximity to the new flange clips, from the right side. Now, by "feel and sound", place the pin on the top back edge of the "V" and gently push in and down into the "V". You'll know when you get it in place. If you have only one repair clip to install then you'll not be able to view the butt pin from the right side. This will really be a "feel and sound" insert. 11. DO NOT RELAX YOUR GRIP ON THE HAMMER WITH YOUR LEFT HAND. Take the screwdriver with your right hand, insert down between the butt springs. Gently seat the blade into the screw head slot and tighten the screw, bringing the bottom repair clip into place under the tongue. 12. Providing the pin was securely in the "V", the hammer should now be gently lifted up and back just enough to be sure that the top repair clip piece is holding the pin in the "V". 13. Let the hammer drop back to the hammer rail and flick the back of the molding a couple times to move the hammer. 14. If you only had one repair to make, secure the sticker flange in place, wippen and jack in place and secure the bridle strap, reposition the butt spring in the grub. PLEASE NOTE: The picture of the 513KA repair clip, on page 132, in Arthur A Reblitzs' book is not correct. It does not show the "V" in the bottom piece of the repair clip. The picture of the 513KA repair clip, on page 99, in the Schaff catalog is correct. I spent several hours researching the subject in the archives on the ptg list. My research and down time was not included in the 4 ½ hours for this repair. The cleaning of the action in the hammer repair area was VERY necessary with 99 years of dust and crud built up in the flange area. I spent 4 ½ hours making these repairs on 5 hammers. The first 2 were a little slow, but the time the 5th hammer flange repair was completed I had it pretty well down. I truly hope this can be a benefit to some technicians, that hasn't had the opportunity to make one of these repairs yet, and will be able to find this in the archives. To the technicians who have devised their own method of making this repair I would appreciate your comments. I'm sure there is something more to be learned and I welcome the opportunity. My regards to the ptg list. Gordon Holley Goshen, Indiana Associate Member Indiana Chapter 467
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