Broadwood 1906 console

[charliegrey]

I am trying to do some regulating and refurbishing on a Broadwood upright (46") 1906 vintage. The action is different to anything I have worked on and I believe it is the Swander type. In any case, there are little springs everywhere. Many of the butt springs are broken of with the end embedded in the butt. I purchased some butt springs from Schaff but am stymied as to how to install them. Is it possible to remove the broken end of the old spring and if so how? Or do I try to drill a hole for the new butt spring as close to the old one as possible?
The next problem is trying to regulate hammer travel ie., papering one side of the flange. On this piano there is another spring at the base of the jack that catches a thread from the hammer through a slot in the jack. It is very easy to release the thread to remove the hammer butt but devilishly difficult to reattach it once the hammer butt is back on the rail. Anybody had experience with this little doozy? I have removed a number of hammer butts and the best I have been able to achieve was 25 minutes to re-install with alot of talking to the piano and myself. At this rate I could spend the better part of the spring playing with springs and threads.
thanks for any advice,
Charlie Grey
Maine, USA

[Barrie Heaton]

You need left handed springs to do the Butts they have a longer tale! There will be one hole and the spring is then stamped in the side of the butt, on later actions there was two holes so you could pass it back - you can make a small stamp out of a small screw driver nice to do them the old way but.... time . Now for a work around for the stamped ones you can drill new little hole and pass the tail through both holes

The other way is to pass the tail of the spring into the first hole then bend it sharp up to the eye then pass the end through the eye of the spring and pull in sharply down and cut off the excess that works well when you do up the spring not as neat but quick.


As to the Costa springs you need 2 hooks one to fish the cord and the other to push the spring forward so you can hook the hole cord over the spring and a lot of lip biting However, if you are re hooking a full set it is a lot simpler as you can work from the side ďż˝ there was a blind tuner in Liverpool I watched him do a full set in no time at all sadly he is now pass away

[Gill the Piano]

Get yourself a crochet hook for connecting the springs; they're not sharp enough to split the spring cord, but a thin one will be the right size to catch the thread through the hole.

[charliegrey]

Hi Barrie,
Thanks for your help. This is going to be a real learning experience I can see. Are there any UK suppliers that would have the proper butt springs. The only American supplier (Schaff) has only smaller springs with shorer tails. And, do you know of a source for regulating specs for this particular action or an older Schwander action, ie., blow, checking and key dip? The piano is well made and in quite good condition for it's age and I would like to set it right if I can.
Charlie

You need left handed springs to do the Butts they have a longer tale! There will be one hole and the spring is then stamped in the side of the butt, on later actions there was two holes so you could pass it back - you can make a small stamp out of a small screw driver nice to do them the old way but.... time . Now for a work around for the stamped ones you can drill new little hole and pass the tail through both holes

The other way is to pass the tail of the spring into the first hole then bend it sharp up to the eye then pass the end through the eye of the spring and pull in sharply down and cut off the excess that works well when you do up the spring not as neat but quick.


As to the Costa springs you need 2 hooks one to fish the cord and the other to push the spring forward so you can hook the hole cord over the spring and a lot of lip biting However, if you are re hooking a full set it is a lot simpler as you can work from the side ďż˝ there was a blind tuner in Liverpool I watched him do a full set in no time at all sadly he is now pass away

[Barrie Heaton]

Hi Barrie,
Thanks for your help. This is going to be a real learning experience I can see. Are there any UK suppliers that would have the proper butt springs. The only American supplier (Schaff) has only smaller springs with shorer tails.

http://www.uk-piano.org/heckscher/hec_part.html#springs
http://www.fletcher-newman.co.uk/catalo ... s/677.html

Barrie,