[pianotech] Bass bridge repair

[David Love]

I would recap the bass bridge (or both bridges if they both look like this).
Even with the plate in the piano you can recap the bass bridge, though it's
a bit more difficult.  If the plate is coming out of the piano I would
definitely recap the bridge.  Otherwise, the small hairline cracks are
probably of little consequence and could be repaired under ordinary
circumstances by using methods that have been outlined previously on the
list:  Remove pins, inject epoxy, and coat bridge top, sand flat, renotch,
redrill, insert pins.  The larger split you would only attempt to repair in
an emergency situation where you had not chance to deal with it by
recapping: pull pins, inject epoxy with thickener so it doesn't ooze all
over the place, lightly clamp to pull things back together, clean up squeeze
out, insert new pins, carefully clean up more squeeze out using a magnifying
glass or, if possible, wait and redrill but you will need some way of
redefining exactly where the holes will go otherwise you're drilling onto an
angled surface which can be tricky.  

 

David Love

www.davidlovepianos.com

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of paul bruesch
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 3:29 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: [pianotech] Bass bridge repair

 

I have a learning/project piano with bass bridge damage. I've purchased WEST
SYSTEM 105 epoxy resin, 206 (slow) hardener, and HD 404 filler. (Primarily
in anticipation of future needs, but also to practice on this project
piano.)

For the tenor end (second pic) I'm planning to follow Terry Farrell's
procedure outlined in this post:
https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/2007-August/209310.html
Questions... 
(1) I understand that epoxy should not be clamped tightly, right? So do I
just draw it "most of the way together" with clamps and let it cure with
spring clamps, or just use spring clamps? 
(2) Is it proper to just epoxy the bridge pins in, or do you apply a mold
release of some sort? If so, what?
(3) Going down the bridge to the left (first pic) there are little splitlets
at each speaking-length-side hole. Should I use unthickened epoxy, thin CA,
Medium CA, or just leave it??

Thanks!
Paul Bruesch
Stillwater, MN

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20090531/8a47d64c/attachment-0001.htm>