The let-off rail mounting brackets in my Melville Clark Apollo player
piano are rusty and need to be stripped and re-plated.  They appear
to be threaded and glue was applied to the threads before inserting
into the main action rail.

To remove them my plan is to heat the main action rail with a hair
dryer and heat the let-off bracket with a soldering iron to loosen the
glue.  Then turn them out once the glue has softened or broken free.

Is this a good method to remove the brackets?  Are the brackets pot
metal or some other low grade metal that might either break or twist
while I am removing it?

What is the best method to remove the glue left in the wood threads?

Jim Slyger

 [ Let off rail mounting bracket (front).
 [ http://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/13/12/30/131230_133246_IMAG0577.jpg 

 [ Let off rail mounting bracket (back).
 [ http://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/13/12/30/131230_133246_IMAG0578.jpg