[pianotech] brass rail duplication

[J Patrick Draine]

Most likely the only major enterprise that advertises their expertise at
this service?
Patrick

On Thursday, September 13, 2012, David Skolnik wrote:

>  Will -
> I'm replying to your original post, as it was classic Truitt, and the
> stuff with Ron is just an unfortunate distraction   (Let's be clear: I
> don't think *he* is an unfortunate distraction, just the digression), but
> I wanted to comment on one thing and make more trouble with the other.  I'd
> be very curious to know how you executed that elegant chart that would
> appear as a failed Startrek transporter attempt if I had tried to recreate
> it here (I did try).
>
> *Hasenjaegar Miller upright
> *Old
> treble
> Difference
> tenor
> Difference
> Rail
> Rail
> Rail
> Measure bottom of bracket to center pin v
> 0.886
> 0.851
> 0.035
> smaller
>
> And so on, except it was actually spread out over a much wider piece of
> real estate.
>
> Second, skipping over both the question of whether the errant measurements
> would be the cause of the action problems, the wisdom of undertaking the
> endeavor, or the range of corrective possibilities, I would note that,
> despite encountering a certain indifference to craftsmanly-strivings, you
> chose not to divulge the name of the enterprise.  My question, asked most
> collegially is: Why?   You don't seem to be making any false accusations.
> What is the ethos that defers to such indifference at the possible expense
> of one, or more of your colleagues, going forward?  Would the supplier give
> a rat's petuties if you were to name him?  If not, what the problem.  If
> so, then that, or the threat of that should be sufficient to reawaken the
> craftsman within.
>
> And besides, I'd like to know who it is, in case I have a similar rail to
> duplicate, for, as you or he has said, they're the only ones doing this
> type of work.
>
> Again, this is entirely apart from the issue of your capacity to deal with
> what you have.
>
> Just looking for trouble.
>
> David Skolnik, RPT
> Hastings on Hudson, NY
>
>
>
> At 09:05 PM 9/11/2012, you wrote:
>
> To the list:
>
> A few weeks ago I sent two brass rails from a big old Henry F. Miller
> upright to a supplier (who shall remain unnamed) for duplication.
>
>
> I spoke with the fellow who made it at the supply house.  I asked him if
> he had a caliper or other means of measuring needed values to assure
> accuracy.  He told me that he did not, said that he eyeballed it when it
> was done, and he thought it was good enough.  Apparently they have an
> indexing system on their milling machine that allows them to duplicate
> rails without using measurements.  The essence of it is that he has no
> reliably accurate means of checking his work or whether or not the machine
> has drifted or worn its way out of tolerance.
>
>
>
> I sent the rails back to be done again, asking that they buy a caliper and
> check their work. Their technician, not the same fellow, called me to tell
> me that the he had measured the distances I had given on the new parts with
> his caliper accurate to .001.  He said both the first and second sets of
> rails came out essentially the same, and varied from the original by 3 or 4
> thousandths.  So he thought my caliper was suspect.
>
>
>
> We argued about who was right for a while.  He thought it was sufficiently
> accurate, they had been doing this for 50 years, and they had never had any
> problems before. He told me I should be able to make it work and besides,
> what other choice do I have, since nobody else makes them?
>
>
> Thanks for your help.
>
> Will Truitt
>
>
>
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