Amphion Transmission Frame
By John Phillips
Hobart, where I live, is the capital city of Tasmania, but it's really only a medium size town of about 185,000 people. There are not many genuine dyed-in-the-wool player fanatics about; in fact I haven't come across anyone who is as crazy as me. Consequently, even though I'm a rank amateur, I occasionally get 'phone calls requesting my advice. Usually the caller has a clapped-out old player that they want to sell and are wondering how much to ask.
Usually I have to tell them "Not a lot!".
But I did get a call the other day from a chap who had been given my name by our mutual piano tuner. He has a Zenker and Schultze pumper upright with an Amphion action., which he is trying to rebuild himself. (In view of the recent etymological furore caused by me, I won't say a word about "pumper".) Anyway the pot-metal transmission frame has done its usual thing and is in the process of disintegrating. When he mentioned this to our tuner, this very obliging gent rummaged around in his supply of spare parts and actually found a new replacement frame! My caller, I think, does realise how lucky he is to have got one, on the spot, at what is nearly the End of the Earth. So just acquiring a new frame is not the problem.
The problem lies in transferring the old shafts and gears to the new frame. My caller says he has got most of it worked out but he needs to remove the small brass pinion gear which, when viewed from the front of the player, lies at the left-hand end of the top shaft. I have to say that I haven't actually seen this player; it's on the other side of town, and that's a whole 20 minute's car ride away! Our 'phone conversation was conducted with me staring at Art Reblitz's "Player Piano Servicing and Rebuilding" (1985 edition) and my caller remembering what his player action looked like, because it was out of reach of the 'phone.
I think the brass gear is just visible in Illustration 6-12 in Art's book. My guess is that it is heat-shrunk onto the shaft. If anybody has any suggestions about this problem I'll be pleased and grateful to pass them on.
John Phillips.
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(Message sent Mon 7 Oct 1996, 00:23:16 GMT, from time zone GMT+1100.) |
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