<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.3132" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><SPAN class=281415403-06082007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=4>Thanks Dave. It doesn't appear that this piano got much use over the years as there is very little wear on the hammers or the action. I pulled the action today and was surprised that the dampers didn't come with it. I kinda like that feature as it makes pulling and installing the action pretty easy..............Ron Boyd</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> David Chadwick [mailto:chadwick61@cox.net] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, August 05, 2007 9:33 AM<BR><B>To:</B> Pianotech List<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: Wood and Brooks direct blow action<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ron, </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I worked on one just the other day. It's the first time I've encountered one of these actions. The piano (Gulbranson) has loose tuning pins after being moved to many parts of the world N.Y., Ecuador, Hawaii, California and now in Las Vegas. It's on the books for a CA treatment after our monsoon season passes. Amazingly the soundboard showed no signs of cracks, separations and still maintains a small yet positive crown but the bass bridge has lineal failure along the hitch pin side with hairline cracks at each pin. My clients wishes are to keep the piano for a year or two until they can afford to replace it. I found the action to work adequately. The parts were all worn but the overall regulation worked well enough to a controlled sense of touch. I didn't care for the catchers as it gave a lumbering feel to the repetition. A sense of gap is the best way I can explain it. Some of the jack springs had to be replaced and I had to pull the action to access the spring holes. The screw type of damper lever contact seemed like a good idea. If I had my camera that day...................</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Not much information here just my observations. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>David Chadwick</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </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">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=ronboyd_1@juno.com href="mailto:ronboyd_1@juno.com">Ron Boyd</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">'Pianotech List'</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, August 04, 2007 10:13 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Wood and Brooks direct blow action</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=4>Last week I posted an e-mail to the list asking if anyone had information on the Wood and Brooks direct blow action. As of yet no one has answered me. I would also like to hear comments good or bad about this action. This piano (Gulbranson) was built in  the late 40s and is in very nice condition. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=4>Ron Boyd - Milwaukee chapter 532</FONT></DIV> <DIV><BR><BR></DIV> <P><FONT size=2>- </FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>