Leading Vertical Dampers

[Delwin D Fandrich]

I should have added:

Put the leads on before you strengthen any damper springs. After a bit of
mass-loading you may not need stronger springs.

Make sure you have the damper back-stop rail adjusted close in to prevent
bouncing. It will feel just like a grand damper upstop rail set too high.

Also, those elongated oval leads I used most recently started out about 18
to 20 mm long and were about 10 to 12 mm in diameter at their waist.

Del

----- Original Message -----
From: "Delwin D Fandrich" <pianobuilders@olynet.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: June 03, 2002 9:05 PM
Subject: Re: Leading Vertical Dampers


> Use the minimum amount of lead necessary to do the job. As I've written
> before, I've used fisherman's leads which come in various sizes. Not being
a
> fisherman I don't know how these are sized. It probably wouldn't do you
much
> good anyway since the fish you have over there are probably different from
> the fish we have here -- hence the different weapons used to go after
them.
>
> You'll want a bit more mass in the bass than in the tenor and probably
none
> at all in the treble. Indeed, you might just treat the bass and see if
that
> does the trick. If you can conveniently obtain various sizes, get two or
> three and experiment. My favorite so far are an elongated oval with a hole
> in the middle. You have to remove the head to get them on, but that
doesn't
> take long.
>
> Don't forget a drop of glue -- something like PVC-e or plain old Elmer's
> White Glue. It's just to prevent the possibility of buzzing later on.
>
> Del
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Richard Brekne" <richard.brekne@grieg.uib.no>
> To: "PTG" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: June 03, 2002 12:47 PM
> Subject: Leading Vertical Dampers
>
>
> > Hi folks
> >
> > I have decided to give this idea a try and see how it goes, and thought
I
> might
> > both seek advice as to just how much lead to add to the dampers and at
the
> same
> > time give a sort of before and after story of the action for everyones
> > edification.
> >
> > This action is from an approximately 70 year old  Rønish full sized
> upright.
> > Damper felt is origional, dirty but not crusty......should actually do
the
> job
> > well enough but doesnt. Springs are on the weak side for sure, and I
think
> I
> > will have to change centers on the lot... but I will know that
tommorrow.
> In
> > anycase the whole piano sings through the damper system quite a bit and
> for a
> > good long time. Seems pretty evenly distributed through the whole system
> but
> > the bass is a bit more active then the rest predictably enough. Still a
> > noticeable drop in the problem when any section of the damped strings is
> muted
> > by hand.
> >
> > Anyways I thought about giving Dels advice a whirl on this one and am
> asking
> > for input as to how heavy the damper heads should be.
> >
> > RicB
> >
> > Richard Brekne
> > RPT NPTF
> > Griegakadamiet UiB
> >
>