pianotech-digest V2001 #1106

[Ed Sutton]

Terry-
I have done this.  It is worth doing.  You may also need to replace the
damper wires and bend them to a different shape to get clearance between the
wire and adjacent damper heads.

Also add some small weights to the damper heads.  It will improve damping
and allow you to soften the springs in the tenor and treble, which will make
the action lighter.  One way is to drill the old damper heads to hold the
little 1/4 inch leads from Apsco.  Another is to wrap lead wire or clamp
fishing weights around the damper wire.

When you buy the supplies for the dampers, buy enough for 3 or 4 more
pianos.  Those trips to the hobby shop waste time.
Ed Sutton


----------
>From: owner-pianotech-digest@ptg.org (pianotech-digest)
>To: pianotech-digest@ptg.org
>Subject: pianotech-digest V2001 #1106
>Date: Thu, Aug 30, 2001, 10:53 AM
>

> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2001 10:34:50 -0400
> From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
> Subject: Upright Damper Replacement
>
> Hi gang. Bill Spurlock wrote an article in the Journal in '94 about upright
> damper replacement. The bottom line was that he said that he found that many
> or most old uprights had bass dampers that were too short and he had the
> best luck with dampers that were from 2 to 2-1/2 inches long, equipped with
> three pieces of 5/8" long wedges. He described how he made his own dampers
> (making the little boards and gluing the dampers onto new dowel damper
> heads) and the process he uses to determine what size will work the best for
> any particular piano.
>
> Have any of you gone this route? Or know anyone that has? Is this generally
> a good way to go about getting good working new dampers on an old upright? I
> think most of what Bill Spurlock writes is pretty much right on target, but
> just looking for a second opinion. This is my first upright damper job, so
> it's not as if I gonna draw upon my own personal vast resources of
> experience. Thanks.
>
> Also, he does not mention using the dowel damper heads in the tenor, but
> does suggest that some of the first strings in the low tenor often benefit
> from a longer damper. Can I trust that there is nothing wrong with using the
> dowel damper heads in this area? And is there anything wrong with making
> your own dampers for all the treble strings (that originally had dampers)
> and mounting them on dowel damper heads? Thanks again!
>
> Terry Farrell
>
> ------------------------------