<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1>Sometimes these holes are through-drilled. Have you looked at the bottom of the wippen body to see if the hole goes all the way through? If not then how good are you with a drill press. It’s a fairly easy procedure to make a jig that will hold the wippen securely so you can backdrill a 1/8” (or so) hole through the bottom of the wippen in line with the original and just deep enough—don’t overdo it, you just want to break through to the original hole—to give you access to the bottom of the original backcheck wire. These wires are usually fluted and pressed into the hole in the wippen body. Once you’ve backdrilled the wippen you can use a small drift punch to drive the broken piece out.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>ddf<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>Delwin D Fandrich<o:p></o:p>Piano Design & Fabrication<o:p></o:p>6939 Foothill Court SW, Olympia, Washington 98512 USA<o:p></o:p>Phone  360.515.0119 — Cell  360.388.6525<o:p></o:p><a href="mailto:del@fandrichpiano.com">del@fandrichpiano.com </a>— <a href="mailto:ddfandrich@gmail.com">ddfandrich@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Ryan Sowers Sent: Friday, January 27, 2012 10:22 AM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: [pianotech] Breaking backcheck wires<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>I have an old Chickering that is coming into the shop that is in fairly decent condition, but it's biggest problem is all the backcheck wires are breaking! In the past I have replaced a few by chucking the "jack seat reaming tool" in a drill and basically cutting a little hole around the broken piece of wire. Using this method I have been able gain a purchase on the stub of wire and turn it out (the last time I encountered this, the original wires were threaded). That was fine for a few broken wires, but what about an entire set? The problem with the Jack reaming tool is that it doesn't drill deep enough before it bottoms out on the stub of the wire. I have read about making a tiny hole saw out of a roll pin using a Dremmel tool. Then it would be long enough to get to the bottom of the wire stub. Someone also suggested in the archives drilling out from the bottom and then punching them out from below. However, if the wires are threaded I could see this tearing out quite a bit of wood or damaging the wippen in some other way. I was thinking of just copping out and drilling new holes for the new wires, but I thought I would see if the wisdom of the list would have anything to say on this topic. Thanks, Ryan Sowers -- Ryan Sowers, RPT Puget Sound Chapter Olympia, WA <a href="http://www.pianova.net">www.pianova.net</a><o:p></o:p></div></body></html>