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Could be a bit like pianos that tend to end up in church halls, they get donated because nobody wants them, and the owners don't want to have to pay the council to dump 'em!.....that's human nature for you.

Crumbs, I gave up reading his bumph and went on to a shorter work....'War and Peace', for some light relief!
His stonemason is going to be able to retire after carving his eppitaph!

In your case, it probably would be a good idea to use a beeswax or canauba based compound. I worked on an upright that had been bought over for repair from Cyprus some years ago, the humidity had played havoc with the action, and corroded many of the metal parts, On an old piano the veneer will have...

Did he give a free pair of 'protty pelly's' back then Gill?

Well you could still be right Vernon, sustain pedal arm may have a 'wood screw pivot' that has sheared, and the spring has pushed the whole arm up....If it aint Brumtuners explanation!

Perhaps he thinks you'll do something else on the piano other than play it!

Come to think of it, did the ancient chappells have those little metal action support brackets attached to the key frame Barrie? [like on old Bechsteins] If so ,he's gonna have to put any packing needed under the backtouch felt as you say.

Sorry Fortepiano, I think yours is beyond the pale mate, just too much work for the quality of the instrument. Out of interest, How come it's only got half a set of new hammers?!

As a good many posters say, you probably have a number of problems, Firstly, are the keys that 'stick down' catching on the front 'slip rail'? if so you may be able to unscrew the warped rail from the underside of the keybed and pack it with a thin piece of veneer or card to throw it away from the k...

Vernon's spot on with taking the original measurement of the key height! Oh well heigh ho, here we go. Start with the 'back rail' height, setting the felt thickness so as the key capstans are roughly almost starting to move the hammers off the rest.[the hammer blow distance should be about 45mm from...

If i recolect correctly, on the heavy Broadwood framed grands, the plank is bolted into the frame from the underside, so you have to hoist the frame out, after removing the bolts going into the side of the case at either end, then remove the plank, which may well be glued. Crumbs, I hope you Know wh...

Most of us all seem to have the same convictions regarding 'Baby' grands it would appear. With exeptions such as the old Steinway 'O' and Bluthner style 4, both very nice small grands. Don't forget folks, these pianos also had decent roller actions fitted, unlike most of the under 4ft baby grands th...

The Aeolian factory was situated in Silverdale Rd, Hayes Middlesex, Infact the old building is still there, now individual offices. It ceased production in about 1934, UK producers of Steck. Weber, Aeolian and 'Orchestrell' pianos & pianolas. I hope that's some help to you.

There are a number of new piano stools on the market, Tozer are great, almost 'bespoke'to what you want in terms of finish and covering material. You kind of get what you pay for in this market. Cheap stools are often not jointed at the top of the legs, using a metal bracket, with a standard nut or ...

pianotechman, what would you recommend? My Bluthner is an old style 8 in original condition., 1912, rosewood case, turned legs, that rectangular patterned music desk with the extending shelf (I love that little touch actually!) I love the ivory keyboard on the original action, I love the sheer smoo...

Vernon, you forgot to include all the dress makers pins under the keys, I got so many now in my pin cushion I could open a habberdashers!.....Does Detoll help kill moths?

I was a tad upset when on David Blunkett's resignation from the cabinet, the newsman at that time ,stated that it was thought David would "only amount to a piano tuner"...bloody nerve, I call that defformation of occupation!!!

[ Question: Why at that time were Blüthner Patent Actions always discarded in favour of new Schwanders, yet the Leverett boys (for it was they...) are now offering refurbs of the Patent action?[/quote] We still used to refurbish the patent actions at that time, but started to offer new roller action...

How very true Vernon......
Nice to meet you on a forum Gill, after our long association!
David

It's not easy...you must first make sure you don't have tight moving parts, as you imply the action may be sluggish. If they are ,it must be re-centred before you start regulating. When this is rectified, first adjust hammer 'blow'/ key touch depth, set off, drop screws, then repetition springs, not...

Assuming you find the number, Welmars are usually stamped on the soundboard somewhere, they also employed a different system of registration, the first two digits being the year of manufacture!...not alot of people know that.

The Bridge will almost certainly be screwed from the underside of the bridge 'skirt' if it is not directly glued and screwed to the soundboard from behind, so the router cutter may be damaged. It may be best to try to remove the whole bridge from the board to effect a repair. The top surface of the ...

You'll have one of the bestM&R pianos out of the Welmar factory....alas it exists no more

Great one Gill, I had a chap complaining once that his piano was out of tune...turned out he didnt realise that the key signature at the start of a cleff meant you had to sometimes use the black keys!!!LoL

I can assure you all that Colin is alive and well, and most certainly fits his own soundboards! We started puting in new boards when in Perivale in about 1983 if my memory serves my well.

Do you know from your tuner whether the springs in question are from the Dampers, Jacks or Hammer repetition/butt springs? Nothing is impossible, as you can still make the springs buy hand if you have the right guage brass/bronze wire. A tad labourios, also the wire sizes may be 'graded' for Bass Mi...

I trained in the Bluthner workshop in Perivale and was there for ten years. The repair standard was second to none, I am amazed that people tollerate this kind of shoddy work. Goodness knows what it sounds like, I pressume the hammers have been recovered rather than renewed, as I would doubt from th...