Chickering damper reg.

[Les Smith]

>
> On Sun, 14 Jan 1996, Les Smith (lessmith@buffnet7.buffnet.net) wrote:
> >
> > [snip]  In order to make these adjust-
> > ments the damper stop rail must raised as high as possible so that you can
> > get the necessary clearance to turn the dampers without interfering with
> > the neighboring ones. Sometimes you have to even raise the stop rail com-
> > pletely above its screws and temporarily hold it in place with tape until
> > the regulation is completed.
>
> How do you do the dampers next to the plate struts?  Even lifting the stop
> rail doesn't really give enough clearance for these, at least in my
> experience.  It's hard to turn them without damaging the felt.
>
> > Where many people run into problems with re-
> > gulating damper lift from the keys is in not securing the wire to the top
> > of the flange with the burnt shellac.
>
> Could you describe the preparation and application of 'burnt' shellac?
>
> --
> Tom Rush
> tom@tarush.chattanooga.net

Hi, Tom.  The dampers next to the plate struts are somewhat more difficult
to do, so you might find it easier to do these before even installing the
others dampers, in order to minimize THEIR interference. As I noted in my
previous message these damper heads are screwed on to the damper wire. This
allows you to rotate the damper head 90 degrees so that it is literally
standing on it's end and the turn it in whatever direction is necessary to
adjust it's lift with relation to the key. You can still regulate these
dampers near the struts once the others are in place by first turning them
on end but it IS a squeeze.

As for securing the damper wires to the flanges with burnt shellac, if you
don't have any, an acceptable substitute is PVC-E glue. Note that hot glue
(hide) as well as glues like Titebond and Elmers, etc. do not stick well
to metal and in time will come loose. So use PVC-E glue if burnt shellac is
not available.

The beauty of the Chickering damper system is that the lift of all the
dampers from the keys can be regulated without ever having to remove the
action from the piano. Just remember to put the stop rail back in position
after doing the regulation! This damper system is different, but it is well
thought out and works beautifully once you understand it's operation. I've
been rebuilding 1875-1930 vintage pianos for 30 years and can assure you that
there in absolutely NO REASON to "mickey-mouse" this Chickering damper system
by trying to modify it or replace it with another. Tp do so is to destroy the
integrity of the instrument and that's what we're supposed to be preserving.
A vintage Chickering with it's damper system replaced is no longer a Chicker-
ing, but some sort of hybrid. Those old, turn-of-the-century Chickerings were
were high-quality instruments, much different from Chickerings seen during
the last 75 years or so. As such they deserve better treatment than that.
Once again, the damper system, as designed, works beautifully and it a piece
of cake to regulate once you take the time to learn how it works.

Les Smith
lessmith@buffnet.net