Restoration of a Fischer Ampico for the Hicks family
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1) The piano is on its side and the pump is first for
rebuilding. It has been removed in this picture.
2) The pump sitting on the bench before work begins.
3) The pump being torn down. Happily, I found the bearings on the pump to be
in excellent condition.
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4) Some of the pump's parts laid out on the bench.
5) This style pump has a large number of leather flap valve parts. There are
two pieces of leather to each valve. The seat is leather as is the flap itself.
The original flaps had pneumatic cloth glued to the backs to give a better seal.
The new flaps have been made in the same way.
6) Installing the flap valves. You can see that a large number of holes must
be punched into the leather seats.
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7) Here, you see the action cut out block from the pump.
It is contains a large pouch which must be restored as well as a rubber signal tube
that must be replaced.
8) Here, all the bushings in the connecting arms spider of the pump are being
replaced. At the same time all the blocks and wedges are being thoroughly cleaned
and graphited. The bearings in the pump were all cleaned and repacked after checking
to be sure they were still in excellent condition. If the bearings had not been
perfect, they would have been replaced. One bearing did look as if it might have to
be replaced. However, after driving it out of the housing and cleaning it thoroughly
on the bench, if was determined that it was just grit in the old grease causing it to feel
poor. After cleaning and repacking it ran smooth as silk.
9) The pump is now being reassembled.
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10) The reassembly a little further along.
11) The pump back in the piano being tested to see that it is pulling the correct
amount of suction and that all the knocks are gone.
12) One of the crescendo devices after it was partially torn down but no rebuilding
had yet taken place.
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13) Here the Crescendo has received new pouches and the
largest pouch/valve has received new leather. Before the pouches were installed all
the valve wells were thoroughly sealed.
14) Here, the valve block of the Crescendo is being fitted for a new cork gasket.
The white material around the features of the block is chock used to locate these
on the gasket. The valves have all received new leathers and the outside seats
received new pouch leather facings. The valves were then traveled for optimum
efficiency.
15) Here, the restored Crescendo is reassembled.
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16) Testing the newly rebuilt Crescendo to see that it
operates properly before putting it back under the piano.
17) The treble expression device before restoration.
18) The treble expression being disassembled. This style of expression is
exceedingly simple compared to some expressions. So simple in fact that I don't
bother to label parts in it since I can keep it all in my head as to what goes where and
in what orientation. I prefer to label everything when taking apart a Duo-Art
expression.
© Copyright 2010 {David Rodgers' Piano Rebuilding}. All Rights Reserved.