Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
PRACTICAL PIANO TUNING
By ALEXANDER HART
Formerly with Steinway & Sons Tuning Department, Instructor in
Piano Tuning, Teachers College, Columbia University, N. Y.
Registered Member of the
National Association of Piano Tuners
Notes of Interest on Tuning
he importance of a flange pin re-
taining clip (see diagram) is quite
necessary at times, but it should not
be counted on as a permanency for
overcoming what might be called too
much looseness in the wood of a butt
flange.
Those unfamiliar with flange pins
working their way through the wood
and the bushing must be cautioned
about this, for often they are shoved
back in place with the aid of a thin
screwdriver. This of course is only
temporary, and it will keep on doing
the same, unless the pin is tight in the
wood.
T
butt on the diagram. When the wood
is split in the butt, inserting a size
larger pin would be folly. Neverthe-
less, how to proceed under the existing
conditions may serve those who are
with the butt; it should just begin to
start penetrating the wood and allow it
to be driven in without splitting the
wood. In all cases the pin must be
tight in the wood and allow it to move
free and easy without binding around
the bushing of the flange. The same
method can be used when repairing a
snand hammer shank.
Special Note
The bushings and pinning of butts,
uhippens and extension guides call for
a special formula known specifically
to piano action manufacturers, and a
great amount of research is involved—
The Retaining Clip
sluggish movements. sticking kevs,
Here is where the retaining clip
non-repeating hammers, most of this
comes in, and it can be said again that
trouble centers around the flanges.
it saves a lot of time, yet one cannol
Avoid whenever you can the use of
call this procedure permanent because
fluids that are corrosive.
the pin in the wood is going to get a
W henever you do run up against a
little more loose, causing a shaky ham-
slow-moving
action, think things over
DIAGRAM
2.
mer. It should be noted that there is
before you start. A good baking on a
a distinctive difference between a loose
caught short, i.e.. what to do in an fine sunny day could and should help
pin, one that is too free in the flange
to a grVal extent. The piano is made
emergency.
FLANGE PIN
to be played on, not left too close to
Should the butt and flange be in a
RETAINING CLIP
open windows where too much damp-
healthy condition, the following pro-
ness penertates the action into the
cedures may be of some help.
bushings.
Remarks
The tools required for this work are
I
1
) a center pin punch; (2) a reamer
(a) What I mean by healthy condi-
for dilating bushings; (3) a burnisher
tion is that the butt is not split any-
for smoothing out the felt.
where or the bushing in the flange
damaged. It often occurs. As men-
I would recommend keeping these
tioned, the bushing could be impair-
tools in an easily accessible place. Save
ed to the extent that repinning could
yourself a headache scrambling around.
not be of any real value to the flange.
These are far more important at the
(b) Take the old flange pin out moment than an extraordinary large
DIAGRAM 1.
hammer that can be obtained mostly in
and select the size that will fit with-
any household. Lastly, do not fiddle
bushing and the other that has too out reaming the felt too much. Test
with piano actions unless you have had
much play in the butt itself, or the the pin for smoothness by pushing it
wood may be split. In that case a new
through the bushing and naming it to a practical working knowledge of how
butt and flange should, and could, be
such a degree that it will go in and each and every part functions—a pho-
tographer does not open the shutter of
easily replaced.
out by using the thumbnail as a further
the camera until he knows every de-
However, one does run out of re- test.
tail of lights and shadows and has a
pair parts, and if so. we must do the
Test Pin With Butt
thorough preparedness in order not to
best with what we have.
spoil loo many negatives.
Observe the arrow pointing to the
(c) Now try the pin and test it
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JULY, 1954
21