[pianotech] new Steinway casters on old steinway legs

[David Love]

It's an O.  The floor is wood.  The bearings are dry and rattle and they
look bad (the rest of the case has been redone).  The piano won't be moved
around and they want nickel.  Don't have a picture handy but I'm not sure
that will tell you anything more.  The Darnell brass casters (Schaff 596A)
are an easy retrofit (square plate) as all you have to do is chisel out a
bit of the old round hole to make it square (easier than enlarging a round
hole as William's photos demonstrate).  But they don't make that one in
nickel so I'd have to have it replated.  I don't particularly like to
replate casters because it tends to remove the grease from the bearings and
then they rattle which is part of the problem in the first place.  Thus my
question about the Steinway nickel plated casters.  I think William answered
what's necessary on that one but since I don't have the piano in the shop
it's bit difficult to get it done that way.  

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com


-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of David Skolnik
Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2012 6:38 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] new Steinway casters on old steinway legs

David L -
A couple of questions:
- What size piano?
- What kind of floor surface?
- Why do casters need replacing?  Appearance?  Rust?
- Is piano intended to be easily movable?

I could see an issue if you were perhaps trying to install a set of double
rubber casters into what had been an inset single metal wheel.  Could you
provide a bit more info and maybe a picture?

David Skolnik
Hastings on Hudson, NY


At 10:30 PM 9/14/2012, you wrote:
>Have to replace some old casters (Steinway 1920s) with new ones.  
>Request is for nickel plated.  Does anyone have experience with the 
>nickel plated casters from Steinway and how they fit in these 1920's 
>sockets, how much retrofitting needs to be done etc.  The other option 
>is to buy brass ones from the supply house which I know can be fitted 
>with minimal chiseling and plate them but prefer not to have to go 
>through the plating procedure if possible.  Have not had the experience 
>of fitting current Steinway nickel casters in old Steinway leg sockets 
>and the piano, of course, is not in my shop.
>
>Anyone with a similar experience?
>
>David Love
>www.davidlovepianos.com