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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Evidently Baldwin had an on going problem with =
this
separation at a certain point with their verticals.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>A few years ago I ran into this same problem and =
thought
since the piano was bairly out of warranty their may be a chance of =
their
honoring a claim. I should have known better but it was worth a =
try.
They sent me their recomended repair procedure for thisa problem as =
follows:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT face=Arial>BALDWIN REPAIR PROCEDURE FOR =
SEPARATION
IN PINBLOCK/BACKPOST ASSEMBLY</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial>1. Remove action =
from the
piano. DUH</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial>2. Create a uniform =
mark along the
back of the piano to coincide with the screw line along the top of the
plate/tuning pin area in the front.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial>3. Remove only =
one screw at a
time for repair. This prevents the need for lessening the tension =
on the
strings thus making a more stable tuning after repair =
completion.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial>4. Starting with =
the lowest
bass screw, remove the screw and drill a hole into the pinbnlock area =
from the
rack aiming toward the empty screw hole. =
As
=
the drill hits the existing hole there will be a =
tendency to
self guide through the plate hole.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial>5. Choose a =
carriage bolt
with an excess length sufficient to accept a lock washer and acorn =
nut.
For additional spacing, a flat washer may be used.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial>6. Force glue =
into the area
relative to the replaced screw. Insert the carriage bolt from the =
back of
the piano though the plate. Install the lock washer and
tighten.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial>7. Remove excess =
glue from
top and repeat above procedure for each screw.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial>8. It is =
recommended to
replace all the screws along the top of the plate to insure the =
longevity of the
repair.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial> =
Material
Needed: 8" long 5/16" diameter drill bit</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial> =
=
5/16" diameter =
carriage
bolts (1 for each screw removed)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial> =
=
5/16" flat
washers</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial> =
=
5/16 lock
washers</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial> =
=
5/16" acorn
nuts (hex nuts may be used through not as =
attractive)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial>My repair went fine although I =
didn't follow
all of Baldwin's suggestions. I did loosen the tension in the =
piano and I
used epoxy. Last I checked it was still up to pitch.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial>Sooo, If you don't like their =
repair procedure,
don't call me----call "Gibson"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=spalding48@earthlink.net
href="mailto:spalding48@earthlink.net">Michael Spalding</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, June 02, 2004 =
10:54
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: Apart at the =
Seams</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Dave,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I just finished a repair on a similar Baldwin this =
week. This
one had a drop action, serial number put it around 1964. =
Backposts and
spacer blocks light gage softwood, and the damage was about what you
described. Started by droppping pitch by turning each pin 30
degrees. Then used clamps (Pony pipe clamps) to close up the =
separation
as much as possible. The separation did not close completely, =
I'd say
there was still about .10" gap at the two worst backposts. =
Drilled
through for bolts, I use 5/16 x 6" flat-head machine screws from
boltdepot.com. Becasue of the severe separation, and the
less-than-substantial design, I also drilled and dowelled the pinblock =
to the
backposts. Start the drill at the top front of the pinblock, =
right
behind the plate. Aim the drill downward about 30 degrees below
horizontal ( try not to hit any tuning pins). Poured =
a bunch
of West System epoxy into the voids. ! I usually drill downward =
into the
cracks with a 1/8" drill every inch or two to make a channel for the =
epoxy to
get down into the bottom of the crack, but for much of this piano that =
wasn't
necessary. Eventually it stopped drinking epoxy, and I went away =
to let
it cure over the weekend. Pitch-raise and tuning yesterday =
indicate that the piano is very stiff and stable, at least for =
now. Only
time will tell how permanent the condition will be.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>hope this helps</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Mike</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt Arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=pdtek@mchsi.com href="mailto:pdtek@mchsi.com">Dave =
Bunch</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To: </B><A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> 6/2/2004 4:42:24 PM =
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Apart at the =
Seams</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=2>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Hello all;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Being called to tune Baldwin vertical today, I =
came across
a good reason NOT to tune the piano today.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Not sure of the model, it was not a 243. It was =
close to
console height with a studio size action and keys built lower at the =
rear to
compensate for the difference. First thing I noticed were hammers =
sitting
way up off the hammer rail. Then noticed that the piano was not only =
a half
step flat but very unevenly flat. Then I noticed some splintered
wood behind the felt covering the pinblock. I peeled back some =
felt and
found that the top of the piano had pulled away from the second and =
third
back posts from the treble end. The top of the posts were protruding =
out the
back a good third of an inch. I sighted down the top front edge of =
the plate
and could see a prominent bulge forward in the area consistent with =
the
damage.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>I have done several repairs on old verticals =
where the
pinblock is gaping open. Fill it with glue and put long bolts all =
the way
through as substitutes for the plate bolts, but this is different. =
Is there
a good, permanent repair for this? The piano is only 15 years =
old.
Anyone seen this? The posts struck me as being very light
weight.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Dave
Bunch</FONT></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>