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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi all,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The other day I decided to part out a =
winter spinet
with a cast aluminium plate. The piano case, strings, bridges were all =
in
horrible shape, but the action parts were all in great shape. So needing =
replacement parts for other pianos as well as a few replacement hammers =
I
decided to disassemble the action.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>First I tried to remove the hammers by =
prying
against the rest rail while pulling up at the tip (strike point )of the =
hammer
as I have done in the past without breaking parts. Alas someone had used =
liquid
hide glue and several flanges gave way with the hammer still attached to =
the
shank.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>So as all parts were going to be =
removed any way
off they came with the use of my reversable drill. Now what? =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Well I knew that the hammer head =
removing pliers
were not in the least easy for me to use, requiring much strength to pop =
the
heads off and always needed readjusting every few heads. So after some =
trial and
error with a flat screw drive rand 4" table vise all hammers were =
removed in 15
minutes without the usual soft words under the breath and gnashing of
teeth.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The trick to it, if any, was to go with =
the length
of shank. By that I mean that the shanks varied in length and some the =
vise
would hold the shank within it's jaws and the shorter shanks had to be =
gripped
at the hammer butt assembly.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Also I found that when gripped by the =
assembly,
there was no need to wory about the head breaking off as the shank would =
flex
with the pressure of the screw driver.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>There was less damage to hammer head =
when the screw
driver was used under the molding clost to the shank and by the
felt.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Only one shank broke and that was one =
that I had
repaired 6 years ago with thick CA. Several of the tails split, but as I =
was
only looking to save some it did not matter to me</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Joe Goss<BR><A
href="mailto:imatunr@srvinet.com">imatunr@srvinet.com</A><BR><A
href="http://www.mothergoosetools.com">www.mothergoosetools.com</A></FO=
NT></DIV></BODY></HTML>