softer hammers

[Mike Masters]

Howard S. Rosen wrote:
> 
> Dear List,
> 
> On a number of occasions I have used methynol/water 3:1 to soften hammers.
> Along with conventional techniques, this mixture is a quick way to bring
> down an entire piano especially of the cheaper type. Now, it is my
> understanding that the water is the softener and the methynol acts as a
> carrier with which the water can soak into the hammers. If this is correct,
> do you think that a cheaper and less toxic alcohol would do just as well?
> I am thinking of denatured alcohol. I appreciate your input on this.
> 
> Howard S. Rosen, RPT
> Boynton Beach, Florida

Howard,
	I currently use denatured alcohol/water for softening tone of hammers 
as well as resizing bushings with tight action centers. It is a 4:1 
solution. I use this mainly on new Baldwin pianos that the customer 
finds very "overpowering". I have not had much success in needling these 
hammers, they're just too, too, tooooooo hard to get the needles to 
penetrate even a 16th of an inch. Maybe I'm just needling wrong. I have 
found this true with a lot of new pianos and new hammers that they just 
will not take needles. 
	The alcohol/H2O serves two purposes for voicing for the type of voicing 
I do. The first is to soften the tone. In my experience, alcohol/H20 
will only soften the tone so much. I have literally dunked and saturated 
hammers clear to the molding using a hypo-bottle. Let the hammers dry 
overnight and check it the next day. Hammers were a bit softer, but not 
enough. Hammers did not lose any shape (which surprised me) but now 
they're soft enough to bring them down with needles which is the second 
point.
	I have also tried steam, but felt a little funny entering a customers 
home with an electric tea kettle without bringing any cocoa to share. 
The results, however, were very similar to the alcohol/water. It did 
soften the tone, but not quite enough. It was just enough to take that 
sharp edge away.
	There are about as many different ways to voice a hammer as there are 
hammers. Every tech will tell you a different way. There are also 
different methods for different brands of hammers. Check out the may 96 
PTJournal for alternative voicing methods.

Mike Masters
Masters Piano Service
Lakewood, OH