[CAUT] was caf now seasonal sb failure

[David Love]

Keytop/acetone solution, in small drops as you suggested, should be applied
right on the strike point, not just off of it.  There's not much point in
hardening the hammer just off the strike point.  It will create noise in a
somewhat random pattern depending on how much you compress the hammer with
playing.  Use it to sharpen the attack right on the strike point and then
pound it out after drying before you make finer adjustments with single
string needling.  

David Love
davidlovepianos@comcast.net 

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Bob
Hull
Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 7:17 PM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] was caf now seasonal sb failure

Ed, Thanks for the response.
I did put on NY Steinway hammers and soaked them in
lacquer/thinner pretty close to that amount.  The core
is well-hardened and should have the resilience
necessary.  I apply the keytop/acetone just off of the
strikepoint right near the ends of where the very
slight string grooves are.  Just tiny drops, then I
wait about 15 minutes, pound it on the top to break up
any "crust" then listen to the result.

I agree this would not be the way to work up the
hammer from the start.  It seems like this aids in a
stronger attack, perhaps in a clearer attack, but I
don't think a fuller, rounder tone will result.
Sustain may seem to increase but only because the tone
clearer, more defined.  I think of power as a tone
having body to it.  Is this from a full expression of
the partials?  When we get a ping or a bite to the
tone from keytop then isn't that primarily exciting
the higher partials rather than the fundamental?

Bob Hull 


Bob Hull


--- A440A@aol.com wrote:

> Bob  writes:
> 
> << The second D, which is bothering me greatly is in
> 
> a church.  It's also a 1970's model.  I put all new
> 
> hammers and wippens in it replacing teflon parts and
> 
> problems about 2 years ago.  I hoped for great
> 
> improvement in tone.  While I got some, the piano
> 
> still lacks power terribly.  I am in the process of
> 
> adding keytop/acetone which is giving some help but
> 
> still not what I want. >>
> 
> Greetings,
>       I assume you used Steinway Hammers?  If so,
> then the first thing  
> needed in their preparation is to soak them, and I
> mean "soak" them in the proper 
> lacquer/thinner mix.  Use a squirt bottle until the
> whole hammer  appears wet,  
> (Steinway uses what they call 4:1, but if you are
> thinning the more usual 
> refinishing lacquer, it will probably be closer to
> 6:1).  
>    Without the hardening solution infiltrating the
> inner core of the hammers, 
> they will never project with the power you are
> looking for.  Using 
> acetone/keytop for this will be way too much, and if
> you are trying to work up hammers 
> with keytops without the core being hardened, you
> will increase attack without 
> increasing the tonal body of the sound. 
> Regards, 
>  
> Ed Foote RPT 
> http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
> www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
>  
> _______________________________________________
> caut list info:
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> 


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