Grand touch

[Stan Kroeker]

Kristinn,

You must first diagnose whether the problem is caused by excess friction
from the various contact points within the action, or excess weight (usually
on the hammers) or a combination of both.  There are excellent articles in
back issues of the Piano Technicians Journal detailing the use of accurate
gram weights (and other more sophisticated methods) to analyse touchweight
within a piano action.

If excess friction is part of the problem, you must identify the location
and treat accordingly.  For example, lubricate keypins, capstans, repetition
levers and jack tips with McLube or Protek.  Lubricate knuckle buckskin with
micro-teflon powder.  Check action center pinning, particularly the hammer
flange centers.  The latter contribute a great deal to the friction levels
within the action.

If excess weight is a problem, the hammers could benefit from weight
reduction by retailing, tapering the sides of the moldings and coving the
back of the moldings.  Samick grand piano hammers are usually installed
without these things being done.  For the angled hammers, they usually just
turn the backcheck to match the hammer angle causing sideways strain on the
centers.  In the past year, I have done all of the above to several Korean
grand actions with positive results.

Stan Kroeker
Registered Piano Technician

http:/www.pianoexperts.mb.ca

----------
>From: Kristinn Leifsson <istuner@islandia.is>
>To: pianotech@ptg.org
>Subject: Grand touch
>Date: Wed, Nov 3, 1999, 8:57 AM
>

>
>
> I´m servicing a relatively new Samick grand that the owner would like to be
> a little lighter.
>
> I´m curious to know, what are your favourite methods in making a grand (or
> a vertical) feel lighter to play?
>
>
> Kristinn Leifsson
> Reykjavík, Iceland.
>