<html> <head> <style></style></head> <body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'>Susan, Haven't done it in awhile but an Unger heat gun aimed at the correct spot for removing those stubborn plastic elbows works well! Pulls them off like taffy. Al Fisher, RPT <hr>Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2012 09:30:42 -0800 From: skline@peak.org To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] Expanding Brackets time? Not sure just how long it will take, Joe. Of course the first time takes longer. SOMEWHERE around here I have the data sheet sent out the first time I did one -- the other two times I didn't receive it. It had the spread figure, and an order of operations. You may have to set up two different times for this job -- the first two times, the new brackets fit perfectly. The third time, the holes for the two middle brackets (in front) were the wrong places, so I had to plug and redrill -- also, the original screws were not quite long enough, so I had to get longer ones. You might just have your Associate take along a few extra longer screws, just in case. Once they are in, one of course has to undo the desperate letoff-widening and drop-increasing which was probably done as they began to grow. Hope none of these are so expanded that it affects getting the action out. And I just this week found an old Kohler with the yellow plastic elbows, and the plastic was still pretty tough! Not many of those left. This piano had one replaced elbow and one broken elbow. I'm waiting for them to get more fragile. Trying to chew them off when they are still tough is a pain in the neck. Had to drive out the center pins on a number the last time that happened. Oh, and I have one Baldwin product with the rock-hard corfam, which is waiting. Best, Susan Joseph Garrett wrote: <blockquote cite="mid:380-22012113211621993@earthlink.net"> <pre>All, I must lead a charmed life...or something like it...I've never had to replace those pesky, expanding, grand action brackets.<G> However, I now have an Associate that has two of them! She needs to know, approximately, how much time it take to do that job?? I guess I need to know, as well, so's I can insert it into the RLG, for it's next "reprint". Thanks to any/all who respond. Best, Joe Joe Garrett, R.P.T. Captain of the Tool Police Squares R I </pre> </blockquote> </div></body> </html>