[CAUT] killer shanks

[Chris Solliday]

David, I like your theory but I must say I have had success with all the types you describe. This is just what my ears have been telling me and I have been doing this for several years on all pianos as have some others. I would love to see some slow motion video of a comparison with all the scenarios you have described. You may be quite correct about most of what you theorize.
Chris Solliday
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David Love 
  To: 'College and University Technicians' 
  Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2007 1:48 PM
  Subject: Re: [CAUT] killer shanks


  It might very well be that thinned shanks help especially with harder hammers on low tension/light soundboard designs.  My own theory is that hammer resilience (bounce) matching string tensions in some way is critical for hammer/string contact time in terms of how partials develop vis a vis the fundamental.  With a poorly matched harder hammer on a light assembly, anything that assists in the effective resilience of the hammer shank assembly will be a benefit.  With softer hammers that are a better match for the string scale/soundboard interface, a thinned shank will not be necessary.  Similarly, with higher tension scales and accompanying stiffer soundboard assemblies, a thinned shank on a firm and heavier hammer won't reap the same benefit and might, in fact, be a detriment.    



  David Love
  davidlovepianos at comcast.net
  www.davidlovepianos.com 

  -----Original Message-----
  From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Chris Solliday
  Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2007 9:53 AM
  To: caut at ptg.org
  Subject: [CAUT] killer shanks



  Bob Hull

  Yes I taper/channel the whole set and sort by weight. I am told that the stiffening is akin to I-beam construction but I am not an engineer so consider that hearsay. Speaking of hearing just put a tapered shank in the middle of the bass section amongst the hex and see if you hear a difference. I do. I get a stronger 3rd partial most of the time and I like that. I think tha doing this clears up the tone of the whole piano. You should experiment for yourself. A factory channeled complete set is available from Abel through Wally Brooks who was the first person to point out the attributes of doing this for me.  As I recall they are only Hamburg specs but I have used them with success. Wally will also channel other sets for you for a small fee. I am told that other sets are available from Pianotek and others but I have not gotten any so consider that a rumor. Usually I channel my own with a router gig and/or free hand on a belt sander. It is surprising how quickly and uniformly they can be turned out which is why i often don't bother with the router set up. I sort by weight to help smooth the Strikeweight taper ala Stanwood. I hope we can get some slow mo video on the difference someday.

  Chris Solliday
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