Pinning on new flanges

A440A@aol.com A440A@aol.com
Wed, 25 Aug 2004 06:59:20 EDT


Sarah  writes:

<< The problem with Steinway's Teflon blunder was the

loosening of the Teflon in the wooden hole with humidity changes.

Conceivably, with wear, there could also be a problem with noise and runout

(slop), as the Teflon holes wear larger.  Considering these things, wouldn't

the best long-range solution be to figure out a way to fix the bushing mount

problem -- to make the mount more resistant to deterioration from humidity

changes and, moreover, make the bushings very easily, quickly, and cheaply

replaceable?  >>

Greetings, 
  I did just that in 1982.  I punched out all the teflon in  a set of D 
hammer shank flanges and dipped the ends into penetrating epoxy.  After it 
hardened, I reinstalled the teflon,(actually, new bushings), and pinned the action for 
6 swings.  That piano stayed in heavy use for the next six years at a 
university and nothing changed.  The hammers were replaced once on these shanks, and 
the bushings showed now sign of changing.   A factory tech came through and 
saw that.  All he said was "they would never do that at the factory, because the 
expoxy changed the color of the wood on the hammer shanks! 
Tradition, ain't it wonderful? 
Regards,  

Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
 

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