[CAUT] More hammer length needed

[Ari Isaac]

Hi Bob.

The problem isn't as severe as you might think.

It's true that the early Steinway hammers were quite short.  What I've done
on previous sets for early Steinways, which happened quite often, is to trim
back the felt in the low tenor where, as you say, you'd have to drill into
the felt.  this presents no problem. That's all that's involved.  Also, your
measurements aren't as short as others I've had to deal with so I don't see
much of a problem.  


Hope this helps.


ari isaac
 
hand made bass strings and piano hammers
 
416 229 2096
 
isaac at isaacpiano.com
 
http://www.isaacpiano.com
 
http://www.facebook.com/isaacpiano.com

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Bob
Hull
Sent: February-07-13 12:24 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: [CAUT] More hammer length needed

I am building a new top action with WN&G Parts.  The piano is a 1923
Steinway M. The needed hammer lengths after calculations is from 42.5 mm in
the low tenor to 45 mm in the high treble.
Bass hammer calculations call  for 50 mm hammer boring in the low bass up to
52 mm at the top of the bass section. Obviously this would have me drilling
just about into the felt on the lower ends of the sections.   The old
hammers are raked I guess to allow more hammer length. I don't want to rake
the hammers on the new action.  What do you think about planing down the key
frame bottom or rails to remove 2-3 mm of height ? I am installing new key
pins anyway. Also,  The clearance above the stack to the pin block is barely
more than 1/4".  It has been rebuilt at least once already so it's hard to
know what the original set-up was.  With WN&G rails and parts I can adjust
things much more easily than with the SS fixed rails/brackets. What do you
think about this solution of altering the key frame? Somehow I need more
distance between the hammer action center and the string ht. in order to
drill lower on the hammer. 
Bob Hull
Sent from my iPhone