1980 Eavestaff

[Bill Kibby]

I came across a 1980 "Eavestaff" upright, no serial numbers, and was curious to know if any of you tuner-technicians out there have had dealings with them. I presume this is one of those "Eastern European" jobs. The case has been trimmed down to just BEYOND the minimum necessary space, and the first obstacle is getting one's hand down inside the top door to undo the clips that hold the top door and fall in place. The action, with metal rails, bears the Schwander name, suggesting a quality job, but it evidently hadn't been treated against moths, the whole thing was rattling like a box of dominoes, attacked by moths. I have never seen such trouble on a modern piano.

Re-laying the keys was straightforward, and I didn't anticipate any bother in replacing the jack cushions (which American books like to call "butt pads"). However, the action screws are crossheads, and I went through 14 different crosshead screwdrivers, trying to get a good fit, before filing down a flat-head. They are not Philips or Posidrive.

I stayed with to the same brand of glue I have always used, for fear of invoking some evil piano spirit. Satisfied with the action on the bench, I thought I would JUST put it into the piano, but instead of taking seconds, it ran into many minutes. Because of the lack of space at either end, it is almost impossible to get the standards to stand on the metal cups, and let's just forget trying to align the pedal sticks with the grommets in the action at the same time. I had to remove the nameboard and some of the keys, just to see what I was aiming for. Then, I had to crawl underneath, and undo the pedal rocker in order to get the stick in place, then replace the pedal. Even in position, the action was never aligned correctly with the cups, and has a degree of movement when the pedal is used. And the wrestplank wasn't brilliant either.

As it turns out, Resin W glue has recently become so much thinner that instead of just sticking the felt, the glue soaks straight up through it, and ends up producing random hard patches, clicking almost as badly as having no cushion at all. So it's back to the bench to re-do about one in five of the cushions. When I think how many sets of jack cushions I have replaced over the years, I have never known such problems on what should have been a simple job.

What sort of glue do you use?

[Colin Nicholson]

Have you tried seccotine? thats what I use.
Like hot glue, but takes about 2 hrs to dry and never had any problems.
I put a decent blob on the cushion felt 'shelf'.

It used to be supplied by a Mr Osborn of Dagnall, Berks - and recently taken over by Fiona Gilroy. I believe she deals with pianos aswell. I dont know her email or website, but Mr Osborn's number is 01442 842752 - he may be able to give you her contact details.

Its about £8 a bottle.
Alternatively, email me your address - I have a bottle spare, and just inc. £2 for postage. Not trying to sell it by the way! .... but if you're stuck.

Colin

[Bill Kibby]

I see what you did there - stuck - glue!

I used to use seccotine in the sixties, preferred Resin W but perhaps now it has turned watery, I will go back to Seccotine. Thanks.

[Feg]

Have you tried seccotine? thats what I use.
It used to be supplied by a Mr Osborn of Dagnall, Berks - and recently taken over by Fiona Gilroy. I believe she deals with pianos aswell. I dont know her email or website, but Mr Osborn's number is 01442 842752 - he may be able to give you her contact details.

Colin

It's amazing what you learn about yourself on the internet Unless, that is, I have a doppelganger

Fiona Gilroy

[Bill Kibby]

Do I take it from your message that you don't sell seccotine Fiona?

[Feg]

Do I take it from your message that you don't sell seccotine Fiona?

Colin's post was the first I knew of my new business venture, so no, I don't sell Seccotine

[Colin Nicholson]

I do apologise Fiona.... and Bill!
For some strange reason, I have a "Fiona Gilroy" written in brackets alongside the seccotine suppliers in my address book - I must have picked your name up from somewhere?
I obviously didnt know your surname either.... WEIRD situation..... and when I read your reply OMG.... I thought it couldn't be you!?

Anyway, to satisfy my curiosity, I have just telephoned Mr Osborn (spoke to his wife), and she told me it is Lucy Coad who has taken over the glue supplies... I wasn't even CLOSE!

http://www.squarepiano.co.uk/

Anyway - oops - sorry again!



Colin

[Bill Kibby]

Perhaps you need a sccotary to help provide some adhesion whenever you are stuck?

[Colin Nicholson]

Oh dear! STICK to history.... certainly caused some IMPACT ?

Let me guess Fiona.... middle name? Emily? Eileen? Ethel? Elizabeth?

OK.... I'll go away

[Gill the Piano]

Euphemia. Definitely a Euphemia...

[Feg]

Euphemia. Definitely a Euphemia...

[Bill Kibby]

On the continuing saga of those 'orrid screws, they have very shallow cuts, but strangely fat and shapeless cross-heads. Having scoured all my old toolboxes and tried 14 different drivers, then toured around tool shops, asking questions of assistants who seemed to know nothing, I found a Stanley FatMax driver that seems perfect for the job.

[vernon]

You'll have to get out your old glue pot, stoke it up and melt a few rabbit skins and you will be back in business
I knew this new fangled stuff from the 1940s would never catch on -- or stick.
It might be all right for building Mosquito fighter bombers but not proper pianos.
This younger generation keeps inventing things. I can't cope.