Quick action lubrication:

[antares]

> From: MBailey911@AOL.COM
> Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Date: Sun, 7 Apr 2002 13:14:50 EDT
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Quick action lubrication:
> 
> In a message dated 4/6/2002 4:39:00 AM Central Standard Time,
> antares@EURONET.NL writes:
> 
> 
>> Finally, in order to get this O down to factory standards, I sprayed the
>> Spring levers with McLube (on the graphite)
>> 
> 
> Antares -

Hi Mary Bailey
> 
> First, thank you for taking the time to share your lubrication/friction
> results - it was fascinating to read the details and look at the different
> effects each step had.

My pleasure, and something we have to share, as it is much more high
priority than we think.
 
> One question for you - you mention spraying the spring levers with McLube on
> the graphite - are you referring to the top of the repetition lever where the
> knuckle comes in contact with the lever?

Yes, on the graphite.
The best method is to take the grand action out, turn it (very carefully)
around so that the keys are now inside the piano (a Yamaha trick), push up
all the hammers so that they are standing backwards and then spray the
graphite part and - also - the backsides of the jacks, especially on the
edge where the jack glides away from under the knuckle.

However, I must give a special warning :

Before 'lubing' anything at all, first analyze whether an anti-friction
treatment is necessary or not.
How to analyze? by listening first to the complaints of the pianist and then
by playing the instrument yourself.
For instance: the pianists complains that the instrument does not function
well enough (anymore), or does not sound as nicely as before.
This - usually - means that the action needs regulation as most pianos in
the universe need regulation.
It could also mean that the pianist means that there is something wrong with
the voicing quality.
It is one of our tasks to comprehend where exactly the problem occurs.
Voicing is always related to regulation and tuning.
It is a strict rule in our profession that we (understand and thus) obey the
following credo :

quote from the Yamaha Academy :

A beautiful tone is.....

1. a perfect regulation

2. a perfect tuning

3. a perfect voicing

unquote.

Why make a simple answer a complicated one?

Because we must understand that a technically complicated situation needs
profound professional knowledge in order to make it a less complicated
situation.
If we perfectly understand where the pianist's complaint derives from, and
if we have enough technical knowledge and experience, then the complaint can
be solved probably within a relative short moment of time.

In the case of the complaining pianist that means :
We can not do anything unless we know how to feel, listen, regulate, tune,
and voice.

Our profession would become instantly boring if a simple spray can would
solve all the problems.
An analytical approximation therefor starts with :

playing the instrument
listening to the 'tone quality'
measuring distances and weights
having knowledge of the factory data (like down weight / up weight, key dip
/ height)

And then take the right action.

Spraying the spring levers (with McLube) is in my opinion a last resort as
the extremely slippery McLube layer causes almost no friction during the
initial movement of the hammer towards let off / hammer drop.
That means that the pianist has hardly any resistance during the first
moments of depressing the key except the combined weight of wippen and
hammer.
What we call 'a slippery situation', and it could ruin the pianist's
pleasure as it makes her/him unsure.

I have had the experience myself because I was naive and stupid enough to go
ahead and use all the lubricants available, like a child.
However, I learned from my mistakes, I became careful, and started to
measure all the steps of anti-friction.

Hence my little a-friction story, and hence this not-so-simple answer.


> Also, wanted you to know that reading your post made me even more
> enthusiastic about attending the Stanwood class at this year's convention.
> I'm much newer in the business than many out there, and highly intrigued
> about the details of how all of the factors combine to make the instrument
> work it's best.

David Stanwood visited our repair shop (in Wormerveer, Holland) a couple of
Months ago and demonstrated his superior knowledge.
Since then, my thinking about these matters has changed too and inspired us,
but made me double careful.


I personally think that our beautiful profession is highly underrated and
deserves 'a little more' respect in general.

friendly greetings
from

Antares,

Amsterdam, Holland

"where music is, no harm can be"

visit my website at :  http://www.concertpianoservice.nl/