Fallboard Removal

[Don Bee]

Hello there folks: I was tuning an old (1934) Wheelock grand a while ago and had to remove the action to do some hammer spacing. Problem: I couldn't get the fallboard off. Four screws got the keyslip off and two for the key blocks but the fallboard rotated on pins that seemed to be extending from the case sides. I couldn't find any levers or any other releasing mechanism whatsoever.

Jeff Grosser, RPT in Chicago advised that he had an old Washburn which presented the same problem that was solved by discovering the side edge of the fallboard had a flat brass piece reset into a wooden channel that could be removed by two screws enabling the removal of the fallboard.

This was the Washburn and what I have is a Wheelock - so maybe the same kind of mechanism and I'll check this out when I next see the piano.

In the meantime, I'm wondering if anyone else has any thoughts?

Many thanks, Don Bee, RPT



-----Original Message-----
From: pian...@googlegroups.com [mailto:pian...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Ron Nossaman
Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2013 9:24 PM
To: pian...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [ptech] How to handle plate breakage?

On 6/23/2013 8:19 PM, Douglas Gregg wrote:
> Ron,
> If you are Thumpe, then I am confused. I mistook you for someone else
> with an open mind.

I am open minded. Unqualified blanket statements like PVA and epoxy creeping need to be rationally qualified when neither is the case under the conditions in which I've used them. I'll change my mind on anything if better information becomes available, and have done so many many times.


> For information. the boat was epoxied with West System and failed. The
> epoxy used in the big dig was not the one specified by the engineers.
> A substitute epoxy was used that did not have the proper
> characteristics concerning constant tension, ie, creep. I don't have
> the name of the specified epoxy or the substitute but I am sure it is
> available from the court records. Anyway, it would not be commonly
> available epoxies. These are intended for structural use.

The wrong stuff, as I expected, which wasn't the fault of the epoxy.


> Concerning your comment:
> I've somehow never made it a priority to do the cheapest possible
> repair on the junkiest possible instruments, so I'm having some
> trouble seeing the charm in the approach.
>
> You failed to respond to the important point. I support lots of middle
> class families who, as most who are paying attention know, are
> slipping into the lower class for no fault of their own. They are
> working two jobs if they can get them and are barely making ends meet.
> A $400 piano is a major expenditure at one time. Piano lessons are
> about $40 per week and some can't keep that up and also have the piano
> tuned more than once a year, much less have major repairs done. (a
> bridge cap replacement is in that category) I have a lot of thank you
> notes hanging in my shop. Most written and illustrated by the kids
> thanking me for keeping their piano going. I rest my case.

I'll respond, but you won't like it, or likely even understand it. My take is a little different. I've spent a lot of time talking people out of doing patch up work on junk because it was a waste of money they didn't have to waste, though it cost me income I really couldn't spare either. Instead, the advice was to be patient and put the money into a better instrument where any needed minor repairs would actually do some long term good. Those that didn't agree and got someone else to waste their money on inadequate repairs often eventually called me back wanting their mistake un-done, but there was nothing I could do for them at that point except advise them that they still needed to replace the piano as I had advised in the first place for the reasons I had originally described and they were now experiencing first hand. Those that followed my original advice ended up with a better piano and an understanding that their piano tech (me) was doing his best for them in the long term even though it cost me the quick buck in the short term, and were very grateful to have an honest and principled service person on their side. No thank you notes, just loyal customers, referrals, and the occasional tip. And I've earned their trust. I'll never get rich, but I'm very comfortable with my people.
Ron N

[Joe Goss]

Just a thought.
Raise A 0 and C 88 and look for screws driven into the cheek blocks under
the keys.
Ok if you mean key blocks are what I call Cheek Blocks disregard. <G>
Joe Goss BSMusEd MMusEd RPT
ima...@gmail.com
www.mothergoosetools.com

[AMari...@aol.com]

A lot of player and reproducing grands had the reset steel piece in a channel on the sides of the fallboard. Wheelock was one of them.  Could be a leftover from the player days,, or they never changed the design or it could be an ex player. 

 

arthur

[Mike Spalding]

Joe,

Those "pins that seemed to be extending from the case sides" are usually
threaded into the sides, and occasionally become loose with age and
abuse, and work their way out of the sides just far enough to bind on
the bottom of the slot in the fallboard. See if you can get a thin pair
of needlenose pliers on the pins and screw them back into the sides
until they release the fallboard.

Mike

[Dean May]

Weber is another that uses the recessed brass strip on the sides on their players.