<div>On 10/30/07, Brian Doepke <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:bdoepke@verizon.net" target="_blank">bdoepke@verizon.net </a>> wrote: <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid"> <div lang="EN-US" vlink="purple" link="blue"> <div> I have several old aluminum Dammp-Chaser rods and "brains" of the system, the little brown boxes.  Can they be used anymore?   What can I do with them?   Also, I have regularly come across verticals with enlarged holes in the bass bridge where the string weaves through the bridge pins.  1. How difficult is it to epoxy the holes   and 2. about how long would it take for such a repair?  There are about 12 enlarged pin holes.   I am aware of the procedure and the need to put the piano on its back, loosen the strings, slide the strings over, remove the pins, fill the holes, replace the pins.. ect.  What brand of epoxy has been good for this procedure?   I am asking about the time involved so that I can give the client a "ballpark" cost for the operation.   Thank you in advance for sharing your knowledge.   Brian P. Doepke, (dep-kee) R.P.T. (Registered Piano Technician) AAA Piano Works, Inc. Piano Tuning-Repair-Purchase Consults 260.417.1298 260.432.2043     <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.aaapianoworks.com/" target="_blank"> www.aaapianoworks.com</a>  </div></div></blockquote></div> <div>H Brian,</div> <div> </div> <div>Answering your question about the bridge problem, I would think you could lay the piano back and loosen the strings an about an hour to hour and a half assuming you have a piano tipper or know where you can borrow one. Holding the strings out of the way can be tricky I use a length of old copper wire wire or a coat hanger will work in a pinch, to pull them to the side and attach them to the strings that are still at pitch. Remove the bridge pins carefully and set them in a container nearby, a jar lid works well, to prevent loss, they disappear very easily(don't ask how I know this<g>). I have found any good quality, fresh, hardware store epoxy that says it is for use on wood will work just fine. I have been using such for over 35 years in these type repairs and have had no failures or callbacks from such. You will find those who claim that only the West system epoxy is the one to use, however for the occasional repair such as this, having a bulk amount of West system epoxy sitting around in my shop has never appealed to me. Use a small brush to remove dust and debris from the site and mix your epoxy, hopefully you've gotten the kind with more working time than 5 minutes(hate that stuff!). Wearing some sort of vinyl/nitrile/rubber gloves place some into each hole using toothpicks, the round kind are best. Kind of swab it around the sides to fill in the loose holes and drop a few drops into the bottom. Replace the pins being careful to orient them in the proper direction, the angle/cut on the end needs to be aligned as it was originally. Using new toothpicks, scraps of cloth, pieces of hard plastic from package wraps, remove any squeeze out from around the pins, especially the stringpath side. When you are satisfied you have removed as much as possible leave it to cure until the following day. This part of the job shouldn't take over about 2 hours, 3 at the outside. </div> <div>When you return, check the string path and if there are highpoints of epoxy file them with a needlefile, then re-attach or re-route the strings and pull them to pitch, slowly keeping the coils tight, the enemy of bass strings is friction, pulling them to pitch too fast! After they are at pitch make sure the loops are flat to the plate and the coils aren't spread. Pound the tuning in and re-tune, plan on returning at least once possibly twice for tuning touchup. I would plan on at least 2 &1/2 hours for this part plus whatever you charge for callbacks. </div> <div> </div> <div>I hope this helps,</div> <div> </div> <div>Mike</div> <div>  -- Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.-- Albert Einstein Michael Magness Magness Piano Service 608-786-4404 <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.ifixpianos.com/" target="_blank">www.IFixPianos.com</a> email <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:mike@ifixpianos.com" target="_blank"> mike@ifixpianos.com</a> </div>