Drop

[Mark Cramer]

Sorry for being vague Fred;

My trial after-touch settings begin with a blow distance of 44mm, (let-off
of 2mm) and a key-dip of 10mm, at the key-front, as verified by testing with
300g atop the dip-block.

Next, I slip an .045" punching over the front-rail pin and (as you've
described) press the key slowly down to contact the punching. If the note
escapes before I reach the punching (hopefully), I will increase blow
distance, or vice-versa.

Once I can bring the key gently to rest atop the punching, w/o escapement,
but a gentle squeeze would trip the jack, I place the 300g weight atop the
key and lower the key gently to contact.

At this point the hammer should be about 2mm from the string, and the jack;
a hair away from escapement, the weight is holding everything at the
point-of-escapement.

If I don't sneeze, it should sit there all day, however a gentle tap on the
weight, or a wrap of my hand on the stretcher should be just enough
vibration to trip the jack and send the note through escapement.

(If details are unclear, please let me know)

Here's a couple things I like about this method:

It's consistant, 300g everytime (John's intent was similar to the weight of
someone's hand)

It's static, so momentum isn't a factor

It removes the (deceptive) key-stroke from the process, all your dealing
with is contact, and a weight and guage of consistant specifications.

BTW, I obviously don't "set" all 88 this way, just samples (blow-distance),
then "check" them all slowly, carefully (sometimes it helps to close my
eyes) to ferret-out any non-conformers.

Transfering after-touch to the sharps is where this method really shines:

Regulate a couple naturals for equal aftertouch, and an "encompassed" sharp
key to every dimension, including the afore-determined blow distance, but
not dip.

Then work the equation backwards, adding/subtracting punchings, until the
weight and .045" guage, will hold the sharp at the point-of-escapement.

All else being equal, I now believe I've determined the correct amount of
dip for the sharp that will result in equal capstan-lift and therefore equal
after-touch with the naturals.

However, I usually do a couple of cross-checks here, including observing
hammer-rise after drop, comparing relationship of the key-sticks (at the
capstan) at rest and at depth... and of course testing by feel.

This isn't an original idea, for the most part, but here is where I get the
odd strange look:

I make a key-dip block for the sharps, specific to each regulation, as
follows:

Once a correct sharp-sample has been set, place the 300g weight to hold it
at rest (down). Then, using the least number of punchings possible, build a
stack on top of the naturals (in front of the sharp) until they are flush
with the top of the depressed sharp.

i.e.: an .060" an .045" and a 0.10"

Now glue them together, sand a bevel on one edge to cozy up to the front of
the sharp-key, and test it again... it should be flush with the top of the
sharp. Next I measure it with a dial caliper, and write the dim. on it;
2.4mm, 2.75mm, 3.2mm, etc. (remember this may not be the measurement you're
used to, like the thickness of a penny? however, it is the measurement
consistant with 300g pressure holding the sharp key at full depth.

Then I simply  set all the sharps to this same depth, using the 300g weight,
custom cardboard depth guage and work from key-to-key.

Finally, the 88-note, blind-folded, escapement test is the ultimate judge.

Hope this is sufficient detail? Or please let me know.

Will be in tomorrow AM after the daily nine-holes (did I mention our snow's
all gone?)

cheers,
Mark

PS, I usually wedge the sustain pedal down to take damper-lift-weight out of
the equation.


-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org]On Behalf Of
Fred Sturm
Sent: Thursday, June 03, 2004 6:17 PM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: RE: Drop


--On Thursday, June 3, 2004 5:32 PM -0500 Mark Cramer <Cramer@BrandonU.CA>
wrote:

> After-touch: .040" @ 300g

Mark,
	I'm still a bit puzzled. Does this mean you have a .040 gauge on top of
the front rail felt, place the 300g weight on the key, and ? And that extra
weight causes escapement to happen? Or what, precisely?
Fred
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