[pianotech] Chickering Pedal Lyre

Paul Milesi paul at pmpiano.com
Wed Jan 27 00:12:27 MST 2010


I¹m having problems with 2 older Chickering grands, one a 1917, the other
from the 30s.  The original design attaches their lyres to the underside of
the keybed with two large wood screws put in at an angle of not quite 45º,
and the screws seem to strip out.  When I first encountered this design, I
almost couldn¹t believe it was used.

What¹s the best fix for this?  In both cases, previous techs have tried
using larger screws, different angles, different locations, etc., and now
the underside of the keybed is gouged.  I¹ve read about drilling through the
keybed from the top and countersinking, maybe with a washer, and using a
nut-and-bolt approach?  In any case, I don¹t think replacing wood and
reproducing the original design is desirable.

Specific guidance appreciated: limited woodworking experience.  Thanks!

Paul Milesi, RPT
Washington, DC
(202) 667-3136
E-mail:  paul at pmpiano.com
Website:  http://www.pmpiano.com

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