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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'>Jeannie,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'>The old “pot metal”
brackets have been an issue for a long time, and I know I searched hard to find
suitable replacements for a piano I was working on in the early 80s. The
ones I saw did not usually grow in quite the same way as the YC brackets, but
tended to crumble pretty quickly. The YC brackets tend to swell
gradually, not failing and cracking apart for a long time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'>This is a type of oxidation
problem, and the environment does affect it. So if a piano is moved to a
more humid place, especially an island with salt water surrounding it (!!)
that could be a contributing factor to why the piano remained functional for so
long, then started to cause problems.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'>Don Mannino<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Jeannie
Grassi<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, October 03, 2008 5:55 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'Pianotech List'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> expanding brackets revisited<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Hello
everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I
know there has been much previous discussion in the past about expanding grand
action brackets, particularly on Young Changs. However, I have been
finding the problem on some low end older American-made pianos. I’m
curious as to how many of you have encountered these and am wondering if we
might collectively be able to put a list together of some of the brands of
pianos that used these types of brackets. I’ve encountered 2 in as
many months: Haines and Story & Clark. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I’m
also curious why this problem would be occurring in these pianos that have been
functioning, albeit marginally, for all these years. Why did they all of
a sudden seem to take a dive for the worst after so long? Neither of
these pianos is worth a big fix, so remanufacturing the brackets would cost
more than the pianos would be worth. I’m just wondering if I might
encounter a lot more of this phenomenon as these depression era pianos turn a
certain age.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Any
input would be appreciated. Thanks to you all for sharing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>jeannie<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Californian FB","serif"'>Jeannie
Grassi, RPT</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Californian FB","serif"'>Registered
Member PIano Technicians Guild</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Californian FB","serif"'>Bainbridge
Island, WA</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Californian FB","serif"'>206-842-3721</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:jcgrassi@earthlink.net"><span
style='font-family:"Californian FB","serif"'>jcgrassi@earthlink.net</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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