More Square

Joe Garrett joegarrett@earthlink.net
Sun, 3 Jul 2005 11:33:20 -0700


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Susan said: "I've only had to use vellum once on one of these, and I =
fudged and used the=20
top 1/2" of a dress kid glove my customer supplied, but I have needed to =
do=20
some other repairs. The jack springs are held by thread loops (at least =
on=20
the squares I tangled with) and though most are amazingly intact, now =
and=20
then one has broken. Not hard to replace (I used silk cord) except that=20
getting access to the part is hard. I did replace a hammer shank on a=20
square once, for a lady who was retiring and wanted to play. She had a=20
photo from 100 years before, of some fairly rough-looking male relatives =

standing in front of her piano, from the 1880's. I needed a 3/16" shank, =

but longer than a spinet shank. I had to get a 3/16" dowel from the=20
hardware store."

1. Vellum is redily available from Fletcher Newman, U.K.
2. Use fly casting "backing" line or woven casting line. Available from =
your local sporting goods store. Access to the spring, etc. is =
accomplished by removing the key, (which can be done w/o removing the =
stack, BTW!). Remove the rocker capstan. drill out the "plug", that =
holds the string in the jack. Insert the casting line into the spring =
loop, double over and insert into the hole in the jack. Use a round =
wooden toothpick and a dab of cold hide glue. This will be a "force =
fit". The trick is to get the spring to START to engage, when the jack =
is a a 45 degree angle to the key top/rocker capstan top surface. If it =
engages earlier, the spring tension will be too strong and repetition, =
(such as it is), will be greatly compromised. If it engages "late", the =
jack will not have sufficient "force" to seat under the butt and the =
darned thing will "cheat"! Also, when re-installing the key adjust the =
lost motion as it would be in a spinet. Lost Motion is needed! (Just a =
"wink" is sufficient.)
3. Square grand, 3/16" hammer shanks are redily available from Schaff! =
However, they are labled "Reed Organ Pallet Rods"! These are longer than =
spinet shanks, but of the same stock. Warning: There will be loads of =
"rejects" so order at least 100, if you are doing misc. =
replacements......1000 if you are re-hammering/shanking an entire =
action!!!
Regards,



Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
Captain, Tool Police
Squares R I
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