[pianotech] Grand Lid Hinge Screws

[Paul T Williams]

Cool about the flame thing....never tried it. Whenever I rebuild or any 
kind of bigger piano improvement, I like to polish up the brass parts. 
It's very noticable and everyone likes it.  Hinges, pedals, key locking 
devices, etc.  With Flitz, it only takes a bit more time. I now don't use 
Brasso for any polishing.....waaay more time! If the brass finish is shot, 
I discuss replating or whatever....

Paul





From:
John Delacour <JD at Pianomaker.co.uk>
To:
pianotech at ptg.org
Date:
01/19/2010 04:28 PM
Subject:
Re: [pianotech] Grand Lid Hinge Screws



At 15:20 -0500 19/1/10, Paul Milesi wrote:

>Just went to polish 1961 Baldwin R lid hinge screws to be re-used 
>with new hinges (parts were missing).  Instead of looking like 
>brass, they look like steel after polishing.  Would they be brass 
>plated, rather than solid brass?  If so, is that because of strength 
>required, and brass is too weak a metal, or is it a cost-savings 
>issue?  Are all piano hinge screws like this?  Can solid brass 
>screws be used to put grand lid hinges on?


The reason brass screws are rarely used, even by the best makers (at 
least in Europe), is that they can go brittle and break, or break 
through overstraining.  I never use brass screws for anything on a 
piano.

You can make a steel screw look very nice by polishing the head and 
holding it over a sprit lamp or gas flame until it turns a dark blue.

JD


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