Voicing the new piano

[Z! Reinhardt]

Watch Roger closely in his class -- he has devised a way to steam
selectively by using only the rounded tip or the back side of a hammer iron
mounted in a 40-watt soldering iron (available from Pianotek) against the
damp linen.  Keep in mind that the linen is only very slightly damp.  What
gets steamed is only where the iron touched the cloth.

Z! Reinhardt  RPT
Ann Arbor  MI
diskladame@provide.net

----- Original Message -----
From: "SUSAN P SWEARINGEN" <ssclabr8@flash.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 9:43 AM
Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano


Hello,

But aren't you in danger of also softening the strike point when you use
steam??
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Servinsky" <tompiano@gate.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 5:32 AM
Subject: RE: Voicing the new piano


> David,
> Anyway you slice it, voicing is a temporary state.  The more the piano is
> played the more temporary the voicing will remain. That being said, and
> believe it or not, steaming can have a unusually long lasting effect on
> maintaining the basic shape of sound. I'm not sure of the complete
> scientific analysis of what's happening but I think steaming forces hot
air
> pockets into the felt causing the felt layers to separate which creates
> "cushions", which in turn causes the hammer to react favorably when
> impacting with the string. Comparing that to excessive needling, which is
> constantly tearing the felt fibers, steaming is a much more holistic
> approach to voicing. Longer lasting and less destruction to the hammer
felt.
> Tom Servinsky,RPT
>
>
> From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf
> Of David Ilvedson
> Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2002 7:16 PM
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano
>
>
> Roger,
>
> What do you think is going on with the new hammer in those 6 months?  Is
the
> compaction only on the surface and not really getting down into the
hammer?
> What is the sound like when your done with the ironing?  Anything like the
> original?  Does it really last 6 months?  I'm not familiar with your
> steaming method...haven't been to a convention in awhile...article in the
> Journal?
>
> David I.
>
>
>
> ----- Original message ---------------------------------------->
> From: Baldwin Yamaha Piano Centre <baldwin@mta-01.sk.sympatico.ca>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Received: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 13:01:29 -0600
> Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano
>
> >Hi David,
> >                 A very light steaming over the crown every 6 months can

> >greatly extend the life of those hammers. We have done it with some U1's
in
> >University practice studios for 5 yrs now, and no reshaping as of yet.
The
> >light steaming will just pop the grooves out. Dry iron after to set the
> felt.
> >Less invasive than needling.
> >Regards Roger
>