Good morning... I would need some advice... I have to install new hammers on a grand piano while keeping the same shanks in the last octave. I also purchased the extractor.. my questions are these?
In what way can I dissolve the old glue to extract the hammers before using the extractor? I have been advised to use alcohol since it is able to soften the glue, but the solution does not convince me...
To install the new ones, I know that one should not use PVA (vinavil), I believe because then a modification would become impossible... Which glue do you recommend? Hot glue? Do you mean glue sticks or something else? Thank you
You are asking for advice for a very difficult "do it yourself" project. First of all, never partial replacements and—I say this with a but—never unglue the original hammers!!!!!! The identity of the piano is lost. It's a long story. Installing hammers requires experience. New shanks and new hammers WITHOUT REMOVING THE OLD ONES FROM THE SHANKS. You certainly have a lot of passion in tackling this... but I would recommend a technician... who is highly specialized. The glue is natural and must be heated in a certain way, otherwise its strength will be lost. In short.....
