<html> <head> <style></style> </head> <body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'> Joe, I have one of those old Chickering uprights too--and fortunately (maybe) a large collection of old brass plates (my father made a habit of buying parts from widows of piano technicians--when I started working with him, we didn't have a complete set of tools  between us, but when he died, he left me six complete sets!).   The last Chickering upright I rebuilt was in 1989.  I was standing in a carpenter's shop, explaining to him how I wanted  him to cut the rail so I could install butts with wood flanges, when the building started shaking and wood that was stored in the rafters started falling on us. We ran outside and watched the cliff across the street turn into a waterfall of sand and rocks.    It was the earthquake that collapsed the San Francisco bay bridge--the epicenter was 6 miles from our shop.  Fortunately we had PTG insurance from Jerry Kiser!   I ended up cutting the rail myself and installed a steel rod to match the groove in the flanges.   The current Chickering is in my apprentice's shop.  She will have to learn to deal with it!  Joy! Diane Hofstetter   <DIV> <DIV id=ecxSkyDrivePlaceholder></DIV>From: pianotech-request@ptg.org Subject: pianotech Digest, Vol 34, Issue 51 To: pianotech@ptg.org Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:00:10 -0600 <PRE>Send pianotech mailing list submissions to pianotech@ptg.org To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit <A href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives" target=_blank>https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</A> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to pianotech-request@ptg.org You can reach the person managing the list at pianotech-owner@ptg.org When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of pianotech digest..." </PRE> --Forwarded Message Attachment-- From: joegarrett@earthlink.net To: pianotech@ptg.org Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2011 10:35:07 -0700 Subject: [pianotech] Baldwin Split bridge was Acrosonic Bass Bridge <PRE>Rob said: "I tuned a 1964 Baldwin Acrosonic this morning. They complained that about 3-4 notes made a funny noise. Further inspection revealed cracks and shearing of the bass bridge. The first 10-12 strings are affected. Everything below that is not affected... yet. :-) Since the pitch was 20 cents low, I tuned it where it stood so as to not put even more pressure on this bridge until I can find a fix for it. I'll bring it up to pitch once the fix is in. The rest of the piano is in pretty good shape. They don't want to spend too much but they are willing to spend a moderate amount to have it fixed. So, I've heard of using epoxy, etc. to fix cracks and such, but this seems to be quite a different beast. What is the best method to fix this? The rest of the bass bridge below those 12 notes or so seems just fine with tight pins, etc. It also appears to just affect the cap. Any and all ideas are appreciated... Thanks," Rob, That's definately a re-cap situation. Anything less would be iffy. I do that sort of thing a lot. It seems to be mostly Baldwins. Go figger!<G> If you are not up to the task, then, remove the bridge and send it to me or any of the available bridge recapper dudes.<G> There are some tricks to getting the bridge/apron/base out, all in one piece and not destroying the sound board. All bass bridge strings will need to be taken off the bridge, (not completely off of the piano.<G>) Put them on a piece of electrical wire w/loop on one end, to keep them in a decent order for re-installing and to get them out of the way while you are working<G> Regards, Joe Joe Garrett, R.P.T. Captain of the Tool Police Squares R I </PRE> --Forwarded Message Attachment-- From: joegarrett@earthlink.net To: pianotech@ptg.org Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2011 10:44:38 -0700 Subject: [pianotech] Brass plates <PRE>All, I'm in the process of making some Chickering Upright Brass Flange Plates. As per usual, this sort of thing turns into some kind of convoluted odyssey.<G> I've discovered that the olde replacement plates w/threaded holes and the olde brass rails w/threadd holes are not the same as the "new" stuff" from our favorite supply people. The old stuff has a "M3 x 0.5" thread...yup! Metric! Who'd a figgered that. However, the "new" stuff has a thread of 3-48...U.S. Tap size! Now to add oddities to this whole mess, the olde Chickering plates have a 3-48 thread! So...Do Not Discard those olde screws! Also, don't try to make the new screws work in the old rails/plates!! Grrrr! Don'tcha just love it!???!! So much for my little corner of the pianer world for a Monday! (figgers there!<G>) Joe Garrett, R.P.T. Captain of the Tool Police Squares R I </PRE></DIV> </div></body> </html>