[CAUT] Original SD-10 Key Height

[Bob Hull]

I thought about the back rail felt - It's always a question for me - you know we generally replace everything but if the piano is not real old and the back rail felt looks fine, I am tempted to leave it alone.  However,  could it be lacking in resilience and be compacted but just not visibly bad in appearance?  It's hard to imagine the previous person who regulated this 12 years ago or so (as I have found out)  having changed it, but maybe.  The symptoms do fit that scenario and we'll check into it.   Now, how thick was the original back rail felt or how level is a key at rest with proper back rail and balance rail settings???     Thanks!

Bob   



----- Original Message ----
From: "Wolfley, Eric (wolfleel)" <WOLFLEEL at UCMAIL.UC.EDU>
To: "caut at ptg.org" <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2009 7:37:18 AM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Original SD-10 Key Height

Bob,

Check and see if somebody has replaced the backrail felt...I've come across this issue before and it is usually because the original backrail felt has been replaced with some that is too thick. The symptoms are just as you describe: balance pin too low in the key, inability to get enough key-travel in front without jacking the key even higher. 

Eric

Eric Wolfley, RPT
Director of Piano Services
College-Conservatory of Music
University of Cincinnati
-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Bob Hull
Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 2009 1:31 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Original SD-10 Key Height


So far, without getting some serious investigative time in this, it seems like trying to lower the key ht. complicates everything else.  My assistant has been doing the work and I've not spent any serious time on it.  We have thought about replacing the key pins if there are any longer ones.  Some of them are actually below the top of the key. thanks for your thoughts and the others who've chimed in.

Bob


----- Original Message ----
From: Fred Sturm <fssturm at unm.edu>
To: caut at ptg.org
Sent: Monday, July 6, 2009 10:20:32 PM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Original SD-10 Key Height

Back to this original question, and the reason for wanting to know the original spec: balance pins too low in the mortises. I assume the tops are not (or not all) protruding? I guess my own response would be to address the pins, not fool around with adjusting everything around where they happen to be. Lowering key height enough to make the tops of the pins protrude seems like a heck of a lot of lowering. What does that do to other issues, like having enough dip, relationship of keytops with fallboard, actually having punchings under the balance holes to be able to level the keys?
    In any case, why not just raise the pins a bit (pry or drive them up a couple mm)? Maybe somebody pounded them down for some reason. Or replace with longer ones if that is necessary. Or if "almost buried" just means borderline, the curved part is just over the tops of the bushings, leave well enough alone.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm at unm.edu



On Jul 4, 2009, at 12:56 PM, Bob Hull wrote:

> 
> Rebuilding the action of an SD 10 and it appears that someone has already been monkeying with this one.  The balance rail pins are almost buried in the mortise.  The key ht. on the old action is 2 3/4" to the underside of the keytop.   Does someone know what the original specs were?   The piano action handbook says 2 9/16" for Baldwin concert grand but I didn't know if the SD10 would be different than a generic older  Baldwin concert grand.
> 
> Also, original specs for hammer blow and dip if you know.  I'll make my adjustments from there.
> 
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Bob
> 
> 
>