52 minutes ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

This reminds me of the old saying "no good deed goes unpunished".

well, if I hadn't already promised to pick it up on one end and make a bookshelf on the other end...  The guy I'm getting it from said that I was doing him a favor getting it removed from his house.

The guy called it "My mom's revenge," that it's taking so long.

 

I looked at buying a wrench.  They run between $35 and $130 and I'd have to hope that they fit.  There are a couple of cheaper ones that get shipped from China and expected delivery in 5-6 weeks.

Perhaps a bonfire might aid this restoration 😎

Paul

7 hours ago, kmealy said:

Ugh, regretting this decision.   Another 3 hours today to try to get the harp off.   Found some new 3" screws, below the outside veneer holding parts on. Finally got that one screw out then discovered that all the tuning pins (a couple hundred) needed to come out.   They are a 5.5, 5.75, or 6.5 mm tapered 4 sided head that none of my wrenches really fit.  We got about 8 of them out before giving up for the day.  

 

 

Can you get a picture of them?  I might be able to help

1 hour ago, Gunny said:

 

 

Can you get a picture of them?  I might be able to help

In the morning.  Just got home from catching a bee swarm 20 miles away.

 

Here's a stock photo

 

Edited April 20, 20215 yr by kmealy

1 hour ago, kmealy said:

In the morning.  Just got home from catching a bee swarm 20 miles away.

 

 

No problem, will be on later tomorrow afternoon after Memorial Service.  

The problems are that they are square, but also tapered.  

 Keith, maybe these would work. Used for install "Sammy's" for sprinkler pipes, Grainger or Graybar maybe.

 

Have you tried the wrench side of a deep socket from a 1/4" drive set?  If it works use an allen wrench to drive it.

can you cut the heads off with an angle grinder?

Danl

4 hours ago, HandyDan said:

Have you tried the wrench side of a deep socket from a 1/4" drive set?  If it works use an allen wrench to drive it.

Yes, I have a set of metric and SAE socket wrenches and none fit well

 

The problem is not the part that comes out of the harp but the shaft below that is embedded in the wood.

 

 

 

I wonder if on of those seen-on-TV sockets might work. These are the one the ones that are filled with steel pins and are supposed to grip, well, everything. Like this.

Edited April 20, 20215 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

1 hour ago, kmealy said:

Yes, I have a set of metric and SAE socket wrenches and none fit well

 

I'm talking turn the socket over and use the square hole the ratchet fits into.  Then use an allen key in the other(hex/bolt head) end to turn it.

Edited April 20, 20215 yr by HandyDan

1 hour ago, HandyDan said:

 

I'm talking turn the socket over and use the square hole the ratchet fits into.  Then use an allen key in the other(hex/bolt head) end to turn it.

I understood that, but I don't have any deep 1/4" sockets.

 

I looked in one of my socket sets (unfortunately, not the one I carry in the van any more) and there were three square bit sockets.  The 1/4" fit "sort-of" OK.  Under torque, it may have slipped and rounded off the corners.  But the owner has been picking away at them with my Gearwrench and has most of them out now.

 

That would have been worth a try, Fred, assuming it would work with square heads and not just hex heads.

1 hour ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

I wonder if on of those seen-on-TV sockets might work. These are the one the ones that are filled with steel pins and are supposed to grip, well, everything. Like this.

 

Thanks for all the ideas, guys.   I'll be armed next time ()

 

 

"Skill is made, not born in us and it advances best through difficulties."  Charles Hayward 1898-1998

 

Amen.

Edited April 20, 20215 yr by kmealy

I am wondering if a car / truck shock socket might have worked for this application.

Just thinking on paper here, wondering if a piano tuner would have the tools you could borrow for a bit.  They use those pins to tension the stings.  I can't imagine that a 12 point socket wouldn't do the job.  But, I am not an expert on piano.  

Went this evening and picked up the remaining parts.   The homeowner had removed the last of the 220 tuning pins.  But the harp was still not letting go.  I tried prying it off on the one corner then he noticed that we had missed one off the screws.  Got it off, weighed a couple hundred pounds.  Loaded it on my pickup.  Then took the legs off and hauled out the carcass and the misc. other parts.  Phew.   I have piano parts, he has half of his living room back.

 

Now the "woodwork" begins as soon as I get some help to get it down to the basement shop.  Pictures when that is done.

 

   You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

16 minutes ago, DuckSoup said:

 

   You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

Ditto!

43 minutes ago, DuckSoup said:

 

   You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

 

I might of helped with carrying the bucket of screws.  Sounded like a lot though!

Couldn't find a scrapper for the harp, so on my way home from the furniture bank today, swung by the scrap yard.   140 pounds of cast iron, $10.50.   Rest of the keyboard, hammers, dampers, etc. in the trash for tomorrow morning's pick up.  Carcass sitting in the garage for the next phase, but right now on back burner.