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Author Topic:  BMI Changer Help
Jason Stillwell


From:
Caddo, OK, USA
Post  Posted 2 Aug 2018 11:20 am    
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I'm working on an older s10 BMI that belongs to a friend of mine. I took it apart to clean it up and can't remember how to put it back together! I didn't completely disassemble the changer (fingers are all still together), but I did remove the changer assembly from the body; now I have a piece or two that I'm pretty unsure about. Could a BMI owner please so kind as to shoot me a pic of a mounted changer assembly from different angles so maybe I can get this thing back to my friend and out of my music room? Thanks a bundle in advance!
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Lynn Stafford


From:
Ridgefield, WA USA
Post  Posted 2 Aug 2018 12:05 pm     Bmi
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Jason,

Skip Ellis's post may be of help to you.

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=333520

BMI is still in business, so they may be able to provide you with some phone support.
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Jason Stillwell


From:
Caddo, OK, USA
Post  Posted 2 Aug 2018 3:03 pm    
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Thanks, Lynn. My current issue is holes that won't line up. You'd think that two pieces of aluminum you took apart would go back the same way. Think I'll take a nap! Laughing
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Jason Lynch


From:
Essex, United Kingdom
Post  Posted 3 Aug 2018 4:06 am    
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I've had mine to pieces and it wasn't easy to reassemble, if I'm honest.
How about a picture of the parts you're struggling with? I left out one black washer from between the fingers, ( string 5 or 6 I think) and it was better. Actually It cracked on reassembly and I didn't bother to replace it.
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Nicholas Scott


From:
Norfolk, VA USA
Post  Posted 3 Aug 2018 5:55 am    
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HEY JASON, I RECENTLY TOOK MY BMI SD10 APART AND CLEANED THE CHANGER, STRAIGHTENED SOME RODS, AND FIXED A CHANGER FINGER THAT WAS STARTING TO GO OFF-CENTER. SEND ME A PM WITH MORE DETAILS AND MAYBE I CAN HELP. I'M NO PRO TECH BUT I MIGHT BE OF SOME ASSISTANCE. I CAN SEND PICS LATER TONIGHT OR TOMORROW(I HAVE A GIG THIS EVENING RIGHT AFTER WORK).
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Jason Stillwell


From:
Caddo, OK, USA
Post  Posted 4 Aug 2018 8:39 am    
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Thanks, Nick and Jason. I will grab some pics soon!
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Jason Stillwell


From:
Caddo, OK, USA
Post  Posted 4 Aug 2018 9:47 am    
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Pieces 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (and a quarter for good measure.) I don't know what to do with any except the quarter.

I once disassembled my push-pull and put it back together. I knew it was gonna be a booger, so I took great notes. I can't seem to find the notes I did take on this BMI.



Just to show that my changer assembly remains intact...

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Ian Worley


From:
Sacramento, CA
Post  Posted 4 Aug 2018 2:55 pm    
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I refurbed one of these a while back but I don't have any pictures of that particular assembly. The bars pictured create the stop for the raise arm of the scissor, they stack up and bolt on through the two holes in the end plate. I believe that the thinner one with the holes in your pic is threaded, two machine screws go through the end plate, through the black bar, and thread into the other. The other bar that is approx same size as the black one is just a filler. The longer thin bar is the lower stop, it fits into some slots in the end plate on the bottom of the assembly. The thin piece with the same hole pattern is likely just a filler to shim the stop out to the correct plane.

If you look at the scissor you will see what the stop does, how they work together. The little nub that extends from the upper part of the raise scissor pushes against this stop. You will be able to tell which surface the fingers contacted before by the wear marks on the steel bar. It's pretty straightforward how they go together, hopefully this will help you a little.



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Ian Worley


From:
Sacramento, CA
Post  Posted 4 Aug 2018 3:03 pm    
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I actually found a "before" pic that sort of shows these parts. You can see the side of black stop bar inside the end plate window, and the two machine screws that hold it in place. The longer flat bar, the lowering scissor stop, is the piece just below the lower return springs. It seats into the slots in the end plate next to the leg sockets. Good luck!

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Jason Stillwell


From:
Caddo, OK, USA
Post  Posted 4 Aug 2018 8:34 pm    
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Thanks for your help, guys! I think I have a good mental picture of it now. Hopefully I can have it all back together soon.
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