Clicking Baldwin/let off

[Dave Bunch]

I would suspect Corfam, though in my experience the click usually happens
during escapement. Just poking the butt buckskin with something sharp like
an awl will tell you if the stuff is petrified. You can also pull one
hammer, change the material and see if that cures the click.

If it is a Corfam problem, I guess you need to decide how big of a can of
worms you want to open, since you do have it operating now without clicking.
Changing all of the butts is a big job. Do you think your customer wants to
pay several hundred dollars just so the let-off can be set closer? Chances
are she wouldn't appreciate or notice the difference anyway. By the way,
just pulling the action will probably destroy the "Corfam" drop sticker
grommets, which will create more work. Hey, maybe you will get a call when
its all done that she doesn't like the way the action feels now and could
you please come back and put things back the way it was before?

Dave Bunch
----- Original Message -----
From: "Stacy Adams" <adams_piano@hotmail.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2002 10:10 PM
Subject: Clicking Baldwin/let off


>
> List,
>
> Yesterday I tuned a small 60s Baldwin console with a drop action.  The
piano
> was very close to pitch and the tuning went by quicker than anticipated.
> Having a bit of time to spare and looking for ways to improve the piano, I
> decided to adjust the let off.  Most hammers were letting off about 10mm
> from the strings, so I went through and adjusted everything to 3mm.
>
> That night the lady that owned the piano phoned me and asked me to come
back
> and set everything back the way it was, each hammer was now clicking!  I
> didn't think that it was possible that adjusting let off could cause this,
> but went to her house today anyway to try and determine the problem.  Sure
> enough, each hammer clicked as it approached the string, when the jack was
> engaging.  I couldn't tell why this was happening... I checked the let off
> rail to make sure it was snug, there was no obvious reason I could see to
> cause the clicking.  Because it was a drop action and time was limited I
did
> not consider pulling the action.  When I adjusted each hammer to let off
at
> roughly 10mm, the clicking disappeared.  I went through the action,
> adjusting each hammer to let off at 10mm and all the clicking disappeared.
> Problem solved, I guess, but I am now scratching my head wondering why.
>
> Could it be that felt covering the key buttons was breaking down or coming
> unglued on the less used side, and when I turned the button the felt was
now
> being compressed differently causing the click?  This is a Baldwin, would
> this have anything to do with Corfam?  I have regulated about 50 uprights
in
> my short career, but never have experienced anything like this.  I hope I
> have given enough info to at least prompt some educated guesses.
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Stacy Adams
> Victoria, BC.
>
>
>
>
>
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