Square Grand Regulation

[Joseph Garrett]

List,
For those who are as crazy as me, and wish to venture into the regulation of
Square Grands, let me give you one main tip. The Square Grand CANNOT be
regulated on the bench! The key frame is way too flexible and will conform
to what ever surface it is placed on. If you recall, my postings, a few
months ago, on "Cheek Lift", it is in every Square Grand, to some degree.
The cheek lift manifests itself mainly in the key bed, as that is a major
part of the structural integrity of these instruments.
One can get in the ball park, on the bench, but expect to have to do a lot
of in/out of the action for anything close to acceptable "regulation" on
these beasts. A chalk chuck is an absolutely necessary tool, in this case.
Devise a marking system/code that will tell you how/where the action needs
to be adjusted/aligned.
Just the simple act, (?), of aligning hammers can be daunting at best and
takes at least an hour or two, in most Square Grands. Next comes lost
motion: YES there needs to be some! The action will not work without it. The
lost motion should be adjusted so there is only a mere hint/feeling of lost
motion, no more. Let off is easier, but you have to extract the action to do
the adjustment, each time. Checking is the same as let off, as well.
Oddly, you can be only in the ball park and the Square Grand will play
fairly well. But, it is advisable to get it
"right", for one to really get the proper "feel" of how these beasts can
perform.
Oh, the standard measurements, are usually the ones to use, but be aware
that some will need a different criteria. Example: 1860's Chickering will
require a dip of 1/4", in Faust it says "2/8's". <G>
Best Regards,
Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)