<HTML><BODY><DIV style='font-family: "Verdana"; font-size: 10pt;'><DIV> <DIV>Hi Tom,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks for the reference.  Excellent instructions.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Alan </DIV> <BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: TOM DRISC= OLL <tomtuner@verizon.net><BR>To: Pianotech List <pianotech@ptg.org= ><BR>Sent: Sat, 18 Feb 2006 11:33:49 -0500<BR>Subject: Re: Vertical hamme= r return spring slings, replacement of<BR><BR> <STYLE> .AOLPlainTextBody { margin: 0px; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000; background-color: #fff; } .AOLPlainTextBody pre { font-size: 9pt; } .AOLInlineAttachment { margin: 10px; } .AOLAttachmentHeader { border-bottom: 2px solid #E9EAEB; background: #F9F9F9; } .AOLAttachmentHeader .Title { font: 11px Tahoma; font-weight: bold; color: #666666; background: #E9EAEB; padding: 3px 0px 1px 10px; } .AOLAttachmentHeader .FieldLabel { font: 11px Tahoma; font-weight: bold; color: #666666; padding: 1px 10px 1px 9px; } .AOLAttachmentHeader .FieldValue { font: 11px Tahoma; color: #333333; } </STYLE> <DIV id=AOLMsgPart_2_75e685a1-2190-4058-a84f-7e9be8ae5083> <STYLE></STYLE> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN= -LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color= =#000000 size=2><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Ver= dana color=#000000 size=2>Hi All,</DIV> <DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana'"> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>This Monday I will replace all of the hammer <SPAN class=correction i= d="">return</SPAN> spring slings on an older Yamaha <SPAN class=correcti= on id="">U3</SPAN>.  Yamaha graciously provided the cord material.&nb= sp; Someone advised removing all of the dampers and leaving the ha= mmers on for the operation.  However, looks to me like it would be rath= er tricky to get the glue and the right length of cord in the right place in= the hammer flange slots with the hammers still on the rail.  My curren= t plan is to leave the dampers, but remove all of the hammers so they may be= handled individually.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Anybody out there worked through this to their satisfaction?  Got = a solvent that works better than alcohol for loosening up the old glue?&nbsp= ; For installing the new cords, have you used CA, hide glue, what-have-you?&= nbsp; </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Any and all input is welcome, all the <SPAN class=correction id="">= more so</SPAN> if it is before Monday morning.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Have a good weekend,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Alan <SPAN class=correction id="">Eder, RPT</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    </FONT><= /SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>Alan,</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    This des= cription from our friend Jon Page in </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    much mor= e detail than my post from the archives of some years back.</FONT></SPAN></D= IV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    Jon has = chosen to omitt the use of acetone as a glue solvent in his step 9 but I fin= d the acetone to virtually allow you to wipe the old cords from the slots&nb= sp; and have seen no deleterious effects on the flange bushings. JMHO.<= /FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    Tom Dris= coll</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    </FONT><= /SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    <DIV align=center><FONT size=4><B>Yamaha Hammer Spring Cord Repair <BR><= /FONT></DIV>Problem: <BR></B>  Hammer return spring cords have become f= ragile and are breaking. <BR><BR><B>Symptoms:</B> <BR>  Cords have turn= ed a brownish color. <BR>  Random breakage is occuring. <BR>  Touc= hweight is affected on some notes where the spring is contacting the damper = lever. <BR>  Hammer sometimes falls audibly into strings on slow releas= e before being pulled back by bridle tape. <BR><BR><B>Solutions: <BR></B>&nb= sp; Replace hammer flanges <BR>  Replace cords <BR><BR><B>Condition of = action: <BR></B>  If condition of the hammers, pinning, and travelling/= mating to strings is all good, replace cords. <BR>  If pinning is poor = then flange replacement may be a better option. <BR>  Beware of earlier= type action without butt plates - the following method would not work in th= is case.<BR><BR><B>Cord Replacement Procedure:</B> <BR>  1.  =   Place action in cradle; remove hammer rest rail and treble bracket. <= BR>  2.    Reverse action so that hammers and dampers ar= e facing you. <BR>  3.    Loosen hammer butt plate screw= s. <BR>  4.    Remove hammer assemblies from flanges and= let hang from bridle wires; keep them in order to avoid tangling. <BR>&nbsp= ; 5.    Straighten any bent return springs. <BR>  6.&nbs= p;   Tighten all wippen flange screws. <BR>  7.  &n= bsp; Tilt action toward you 90° so that the hammer flange cord slots face = upward. <BR>  8.    Tighten remaining flange screws.<BR>=   9.    Using specially adapted shimming chisel or other= suitable tool, clean slots (no solvent) and vacuum up debris. <BR>10. =    Wrap 90+ turns on dowel with new cord and cut turns with a razo= r. <BR>11.    Glue one end of each piece to one slot on each = flange. <BR>12.    Return to first flange and glue the other = ends to remaining slots; check with gauge. <BR>13.    Lubrica= te damper spring slots. <BR>14.    Replace hammers; tighten b= utt plate screws; hook springs under flange cords as you go. <BR>15. &n= bsp;  Replace hammer rest rail bracket and reinstall rest rail. <BR>16.=     Final check: jack springs engaged with jacks, spring cord= s in crook of hammer return springs, bridal tapes not twisted. <BR><BR><BR><= B>Tools and Materials: <BR></B>  __flange, thin-bladed, and Phillips sc= rewdrivers <BR>  __spray lube and spring hook (for damper springs) <BR>=   __shimming chisel modified to clean flange slots, or other suitable t= ool<BR>  __glue applicator (syringe) filled with Tightbond & damp r= ag <BR>  __action cradle <BR>  __replacement cord, e.g., braided D= acron of suitable diameter (kite string, parachute cord) or silk cord (Piano= tek)<BR>  __9/16" dowel [turned down from 5/8" dowel] or suitable width= piece of cardboard<BR>  __blunted scriber (or use small screwdriver, t= o help place cords in slots)<BR>  __gauge (dowel, sized to fit intact f= lange cord, with end rounded off, to check loop size) <BR>  __razor <BR= >  __forceps <BR><BR>Many different types of cord will work. White brai= ded Dacron looks the best and will last forever. Joe Goss suggests Spider Wi= re which I've bought but haven't tried yet. It's a similar color to the stuf= f you're replacing so that tends to go against using it. I used to use squid= ding line but the kind you'll likely find in fishing supply places is waterp= roofed and wouldn't take well to Tightbond. Probably the easiest (and possib= ly cheapest) is to order the silk action cord from Pianotek ($3.95 for a 30-= yard roll).<BR><BR>Cleaning out the slots is not critical and you could even= give the flanges a quickie scrub and vacuum treatment and commence with ste= p 10. <BR><BR>This method is taken from Tom Driscoll who posted it to the li= st in May, 2002 (Yamaha Upright Hammer Flanges). </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    </FONT><= /SPAN></DIV></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>