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<DIV><FONT size=2>Tom,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Having just done the very same thing I can =
sympathize with
you and understand your frustration. Old pianos can provide all =
kinds of
vexing situations, that's for sure. The only solution as far as I can =
tell is to
replace the damper lifter flange. Available with or without sostenuto =
tab.
Supply houses have them, or you might be able to wangle one from a =
friendly tech
somewhere out of a junker piano. Of course the easiest way to get the =
old damper
out is to simply cut the damper wire and plan on installing a =
new
damper wire. Once you try it you'll find that it really isn't a big =
deal. You'll
acquire several new skills in the process.Plan on retraveling the =
underlever
once you put on the new damper =
flange replacement, and bending
the new wire as challenges to overcome. Oh, yes, an alternate way to get =
the
wire out is to crush the old lifter flange with pliers, eliminating the =
need to
replace the wire.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>Joseph Alkana RPT<BR><A
href="mailto:josephspiano@home.com">josephspiano@home.com</A></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=Tvak@AOL.COM href="mailto:Tvak@AOL.COM">Tvak@AOL.COM</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, August 18, 2001 =
6:11
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> damper wire =
problem</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Preparing to install new damper felt on an old Dekalb =
Miniature
Grand, I was <BR>in the process of removing the dampers. All =
went well
until I got to one <BR>which the screw seemed frozen. In trying =
to
loosen the screw the slot became <BR>stripped, so I used a pliers to =
try to
turn the darn thing, and the head <BR>broke off. So now I have =
all the
dampers out of the piano except this one. =
<BR><BR>Help!<BR><BR>Tom
Sivak<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>