Understring Felt and Stringing Felt (Braid)

[Newton Hunt]

Re: bass felt.  You will need to know how much bearing you have.  If you
have extra bearing then you can replace this felt.  Using a rubber
mallet you can "hammer" the felt over the pins.  If you are low on
bearing leave this felt out.

Weave the tail ends to quiet them.

Felt between pins and bear bar is optional but I would put it in to
quiet the segments.  Use felt, rather dense like bachcheck felt that is
no more than 1 mm higher than the bar.  But the felt at a angle _/ so it
snuggles up to the bar and the cut provides relief so there is no abrupt
change in height.

		Newton

Gordon Holley wrote:
> 
> List.  I'm rebuilding a Starr 5' Grand and have questions regarding
> the felt application that WAS used in this piano in 1936 and should I
> do anything different today.  I'm having Danny at G.C. Piano,
> Scarsborough, Ont., make new bass strings and is rescaling the tenor
> and treble.  The strings should be in hand in about a week so I've
> got time to order additional felt if needed.
> Question 1.  There was no stringing felt, interwoven, used in the non-
> speaking lengths of the bass strings between the bass bridge and the
> hitch pins. However, there was understring felt, with holes punched
> in for the hitch pins, the full length of the bass mono and bi-chord
> strings.  Should I now use stringing felt in this position?
> Queston 2.  There was no understring felt on the tuning pin side of
> the front bearing bar in the non-speaking length, between the bar and
> the pins.  I've seen other grands with this application where the
> felt, approx. 1/2" width, was snugged up to the side of the bearing
> bar.  Again should I now use a felt here in this position.
> Would these two felt applications, if felt was now inserted, have an
> adverse effect on the sound.
> I must admit, this is my first attempt of this magnitude, and I'm
> learning.  I've refinished the soundboard, have new hammers and
> shanks in hand to install, new pin and bushings to install, new
> damper wire guide rail bushings do do yet,  refinished the plate with
> Steinway Gold and topcoat in on the way, new pedal rods, plate bolts
> polished with a coat of lacquer applied.
> Many list members have contributed to the steps with suggestions,
> hints, and material sources, and many have said on the list, "If you
> can't find the answer, just ask and we'll help".  Well, I'm asking
> for some additional help.  And hopefully, being a new born of 18
> months, I won't get "Boo'd out of the class" for asking, what the
> more experienced ptg members would consider as, such an elemental
> question.
> And, this is addressed to other "newbees" out there, "Stay the
> course, don't be afraid to ask questions, and study and practice over
> and over 'till you get it right".
> I thank you all for your contributions in advance. Respectfully,
> Gordon Holley, Goshen, Indiana.