Piano World Home Page Forums Other Keyboard Instruments Mechanical Musical Instruments help removing action on brewster player piano

I have a broken string and a hammer that sometimes does not hit the string (among other problems). I thought I could remove the bad key and adjust the range but it seems I have to remove the action to get access. The right hand side of the player seems to have some screws that hold the action in. I don't see the corresponding screws on the LHS. Can someone suggest how to get access to the strings and hammers? I would like to do as much work as I can before calling to get it tuned. Can the entire action assembly be removed all in once piece? Picture of Brewster follows and I put clickable urls to the remaining photos under the following image as they are very large:
Brewster:

Bad Hammer

Broken String

RHS

LHS


Thanks for looking!

Oddly enough, I ran into the same problem Thursday with another Standard action like that. I was able to get out the screw on the right hand side that holds the stack in, but there was no screw on the left hand side. It has been quite a while since I worked on pneumatic players, and I did not have a lot of time to fuss with it, but as a general rule, there is one big screw on each side, and then the stack slides forward and then lifts up.

Standard was one of the largest manufacturers of player actions. The tracking bellows, to the left of the spool box, are distinctive.

Since you are going to need someone to do work, I suggest you leave it to them. That way, they will know how to put it back.

Thanks for your reply. I have had this player since 1999 and previously it was in a restaurant since 1953. It was a gift from the owner. I have refinished most of the wood and two months ago replaced some of the damper felts which easy to access. Last month I ordered a repair manual for player pianos from QRS but it never came it. Not sure if it was backordered or is permanently out of stock but I did see the same book available on Amazon just 2 days ago. Anyway, I put this post up when I realized it may be a while before I get the manual.

I was looking at this and it appears I have the "drop action" and not the wire and elbow. Part "12" in that diagram goes up on my player and not down. I need to adjust item "10" and put in a felt pad, 8, to raise the key slightly (I am guessing).

It appears I cannot do this without removing the stack but I am confident I can get it out and not have pieces left over when putting back in.

The piano tuner I (my mother actually) last used was blind and was very good but cannot help with replacing the wire or key alignment. My sister, who lives on the left coast, recommended that I only hire members of the piano guild. However, she didn't have a problem having me fix her windows laptop and I am not Microsoft certified.

I am trying to cancel my order from QRS and get the book on amazon plus there seems to be some good info that that piano care site.

Joseph "Beemer Biker" Stateson
ask about my '99 R1100RT.

Looks to me like the 4 larger screws have to come out on the left hand side to remove the player action. The reason it has 4 screws may be because the vacuum supply opening is behind the action there and the 4 screws hold the action against that opening.

But without being there it is hard to tell. The smaller screws hold the outer board in place.