I was disappointed to get no responses on this posting because I really need some help, hints, or whatever. I'm posting it again, with hopes .... See picture. This is a 1916 Willard player (rebuilt) that is in pretty good shape except it turned out to have a block separating from the back frame. Rats. I know some will counsel to fall back 10 yards and punt, but this is really not a walk-away situation. By the way, the fold-back case lid was removed with a 2 1/2 sledge "cushioned" by a block of pinblock material (top plate of my pinblock support tool); brutal but effective, thanks Ron Nossman. I know how to do the normal drill-thru and bolt fix, but this piano has an extra "mystery" beam across the top. Note in the picture that the back of this beam has lifted about 3/8 inch while the front edge is still in line with the case sides. The lag bolts, where I would drill thru, actually would come out right at or slightly above the separation of the mystery beam from whatever is under it. If you stick a steel rule into the opening of the long crack, it will go in several inches in some areas and only about one inch in others--I've represented two of these areas with the "S" and lines. They appear to be some sort of vertical structure in there, probably mortissed into the mystery beam but NOT extensions of the back posts (they don't line up). The inset picture shows that the plate only comes up part way on the mystery beam. There is actually a strip of decorative cast iron that goes across the top and is secured by screws. At first glance, it looks like part of the plate, but it is not. Weird. Anyone ever dissected this kind of construction? I'm afraid to pry and bang to remove the beam because I don't know how it's attached/mortissed/glued. Do you think I could risk sledging or clamping it down where it belongs then securing it with glue and vertically driven (countersunk) lag screws? Since the new long bolts will exit right through the separation, will large washers be enough support, or should I think about a strip of steel plate along that area, or something? Help! Alan Barnard Salem, MO Joshua 24:15 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20060911/9b6c5f0a/attachment.html
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