Broken fingers on brass plate

[Alan R. Barnard]

See Schaff page 99 for some options, including duplication of the rail or various repair clips. The brass breaks because it becomes brittle over time: If more than one is broken, you can count on more of them breaking. Putting in a new rail or converting are better options in the long run and this should be explained to the customer, IMO.
If it's really just "a broken finger or two", you can try the clips but I'd quote other options to the customer and explain what's going on.
Are there brass plates on the hammer flanges, too? Are they breaking? Are they bent and not holding the center pins tightly? If so, replace the set -- just like old plastic flanges, these are going to continue breaking and it's easier and cheaper for the customer to just fix it right than to patch, patch, patch. If this job is necessary and you don't already have one, you really need to buy (Schaff p.63) or make a Butt Plate Inserter. The job, otherwise, will cause rapid hair loss and pattern balding, i.e., you'll be ripping out handfulls.
Alan Barnard
Salem, MO
Joshua 24:15






Original message
From: KeyKat88 at aol.com
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 08/17/2006 12:21:04 PM
Subject: Broken fingers on brass plate


Greetings, 
 
      Is there a way to repair a broken finger or two on a brass plate? I really am dreading telling this customer to have the whole plate replaced or more expensive yet; convert the brass system to conventional wooden flange system. If I convert it,  they just as well should have a set of new hammers put in!
 
       Is there a simpler remedy?
 
Julia Gottshall
Reading, PA  
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