The other solution is to get rid of the brass rail altogether and convert it to regular wood flanges. I did one a few years ago and bid it around 4K. I also thought I would bid it higher the next time, as it turned out to be a fair amount of work: probably should be more like 5K. It did come out pretty well and it was nice to have a new set of Renner butts in the old Packard. <div>
<br></div><div>Ryan Sowers<br><div><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Sep 11, 2012 at 11:11 PM, Joseph Garrett <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:joegarrett@earthlink.net" target="_blank">joegarrett@earthlink.net</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Wim said:<br>
"Maybe the jig used to make the new rails is bad, or the materials used is<br>
not what it used to be, or the guy who is doing the work isn't experienced<br>
enough to do the job right in the first place. But for whatever reason,<br>
maybe we should all learn the lesson that brass rail replacements are no<br>
longer available.<br>
<br>
<br>
So my solution, and I'll probably get a lot of flack for saying this, is to<br>
tell the customer that replacement parts for brass rails are no longer<br>
available, and it's time to get another piano. If the problem had been a<br>
rotted out pin block, or badly split bridge, or completely worn out action,<br>
what would you tell the customer? As long as they work, old uprights are<br>
great. But there come a time when we need to say, "enough is enough, it's<br>
time to bury the sucker".<br>
<br>
Just my 2 cents worth<br>
<br>
Wim,<br>
I'll see that 2 cents and raise you $.50...Why not replace with regular<br>
flanges?!! Novel idea? <G> Not really. Been doing it for 35 years or so.<br>
Or....how about, If the rail is just in need of annealing...doing it?!!<br>
Sigh!<br>
Just my 1/2 Euros worth...or is that a peso? Nah, both are worth way more<br>
than our currency.<br>
Joe<br>
<br>
<br>
Joe Garrett, R.P.T.<br>
Captain of the Tool Police<br>
Squares R I<br>
<br>
</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br>Ryan Sowers, RPT<br>Puget Sound Chapter<br>Olympia, WA<br><a href="http://www.pianova.net">www.pianova.net</a><br>
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