[pianotech] Breaking backcheck wires

[Ryan Sowers]

I have an old Chickering that is coming into the shop that is in fairly
decent condition, but it's biggest problem is all the backcheck wires are
breaking! In the past I have replaced a few by chucking the "jack seat
reaming tool" in a drill and basically cutting a little hole around the
broken piece of wire. Using this method I have been able gain a purchase on
the stub of wire and turn it out (the last time I encountered this, the
original wires were threaded). That was fine for a few broken wires, but
what about an entire set? The problem with the Jack reaming tool is that it
doesn't drill deep enough before it bottoms out on the stub of the wire.

I have read about making a tiny hole saw out of a roll pin using a Dremmel
tool. Then it would be long enough to get to the bottom of the wire stub.
Someone also suggested in the archives drilling out from the bottom and
then punching them out from below. However, if the wires are threaded I
could see this tearing out quite a bit of wood or damaging the wippen in
some other way.

I was thinking of just copping out and drilling new holes for the new
wires, but I thought I would see if the wisdom of the list would have
anything to say on this topic.

Thanks,

Ryan Sowers



-- 
Ryan Sowers, RPT
Puget Sound Chapter
Olympia, WA
www.pianova.net
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