"Flower head" screws replacement

[Abraham]

My tech just screwed up those even if I warned him about this.

I know, VV sells those, $18 is not cheap but fair... Add international shipping and we have $54 plus taxes. What would you guys use (instead)?

[pianotuner steveo]

I would take one to a local hardware store and find cheap replacements that are the same size.

[Christian Clarke]

Hi Abraham,

I've got the Vintage Vibe sets in stock here:

https://www.electrickeys.co.uk/collections/wurlitzer-hardware/products/wurlitzer-200a-speaker-flower-head-screw-set

If you're in Europe, the shipping would be pretty cheap.

Cheers
Christian

[pianotuner steveo]

No offense, but that is an awful lot of money for 8 screws, washers and nuts.  I personally would use hardware store screws.

[Christian Clarke]

No offense taken, it's just the nature of the beast when importing goods.

[Electrickey]

My tech just screwed up those even if I warned him about this.

Owning a vintage instrument needs a tech that is sensitive to that whole game.

• Don't assume that the next guy (tech) is going to be on the same page with you as far as how rare the instrument is he's working on unless he happens to repair that particular instrument as part of his daily business.

You have to be on guard that at any moment, someone will do something wrong to the instrument. And be ready FOR THE PITFALLS OF THE TYPICAL MISTAKES, just anyone would recreate simply because they have no idea what the instrument is or how hard and expensive it is to get parts.

it's just the nature of the beast when importing goods.

Amen!

If authenticity is your goal, better get them now before things get worse for shipping.

Insurance on ships is going to go up, 400% (courtesy of what's been happening lately), so that's going to mean shipping costs are going to go up.

As has been suggested, find some large flat head screws at your hardware store, preferably black if your Wurli is basic black or paint the ones that you find.

Flathead carriage bolts would look similar from 50 feet.





But using a carriage bolt would mean there is the square nut shape under the head which is typical of a carriage bolt because it does not have driver slots. YMMV and short of grinding off the edges to remove the corners of the built-in nut, you may have to allow the nut to embed itself into the vinyl of your piano.

These are not bad for the hex slot.






If you're going to restore a vintage, not made anymore instrument and you're not living in the country that made it, then be prepared to take on a rich-man's hobby.

[Electrickey]

As an aside, when I dismounted the speakers in my 200A to check them for wear and vacuuming the cones of decades of dust, when installing them, I used some of that black mastic "rope" that some speaker suppliers have.

Looks like black licorice rope and lay this on the edge  on the gaskets to seal up the space between the speaker and the lid.

Keeps the sound focused out of the lid grills and helps a little in the dust and moisture department.

Don't use too much so you don't warp the frames.

(Only works on the 200A)

Note: if you plan to shop-vac your speakers you might want to avail of those tiny vacuum accessories that reduce a basic nozzle size down to a strong whisper of pull.



You don't want to have to hunt for your missing cones after you suck them off the frames with your mega horsepower vac.