TR: Felt question was : rebuilding for what...?

Isaac OLEG oleg-i@wanadoo.fr
Sat, 19 Apr 2003 00:17:35 +0200




Sorry to ask again but comes to my mind a question about felt used by
Ronsen, if you don't mind.

I truly appreciate that Wurzen Filz (I believe that Renner have some
parts in the factory, it was in RDA, had new headquarters when
privatized in 91 , web site http://www.filzfabrik-wurzen.de/eng.htm
this was a well known place for felt for a long time)it looks like
Cashmere wool and gives a warm tone with a lot of body.

I understood that Ronsen buy felt in France at Laoureux
http://www.laoureux.com/Page3.html , this felt is less resilient ,
thinner (that may be interesting) , I've find it can't be needled too
much (fiber is not holding as much as the Wurzen IMO).

Most probably Ronsen have tried any available felt and Wurzen also .
Abel say he stopped using Wurzen (for "some problems")but I understand
fairly well this kind of felt is not at all corresponding with the way
Abel presses their hammers (hard and compact, too much warmness and
pressure I guess) I suppose that Wurzen does not like to be violented
when pressing, and nowadays it will never be hard as the Abel
production are.

I just wandered if you heard about this felt when talking with Ronsen,
and if you have tried some of these (This is the felt used on Renner
Blue for instance)

I'll admit that probably this material in its actual presentation is
may be not allowing so much voicing possibilities as a thinner fiber
felt, but the tension is showing nicely and coming back after playing
if over needling have been done, as the fiber looks as some very
springy elastic coils, allowing always for a good rebound without the
need for hardeners or such.

The technicians that like it ,as me , are probably looking for the
simplest way of "doing as less as possible ;>)"  as a way of attaining
the necessary Zen attitude that lend to nice results !!! As it need
less preparation than some others and is a joy to needle I have find
it as a material of choice when repairing actions. The felt does not
seem to be carbonized, it is slightly yellow, and is not cracking
under the needles as the whiter felts, I don't know what is the result
in term of fiber longevity, but it may be possible that the
carbonizing is drying the fiber, so the resiliency hold less in time
(just wandering).
If you have some ideas about this I for sure will appreciate it. There
where a very nice felt on Bosendorfers hammers too, coming from
another felt maker in Germany, V.G.F. , no more information at this
moment but for sure I like to know a little more about this wonderful
material...

Sorry for the long post , I type fast so I think and type at the same
time.

Thanks in advance if you can clear me a bit.

With best regards.

Isaac OLEG


Isaac OLEG

Entretien et reparation de pianos.

PianoTech
17 rue de Choisy
94400 VITRY sur SEINE
FRANCE
tel : 033 01 47 18 06 98
fax : 033 01 47 18 06 90
cell: 06 60 42 58 77

> -----Message d'origine-----
[link redacted at request of site owner - Jul 25, 2015]
> Envoye : vendredi 18 avril 2003 20:37
> A : oleg-i@wanadoo.fr; Pianotech
> Objet : Re: Rebuilding for Performance or Show? changes -
> Isaac OLEG's
> list
>
>
> Isaac OLEG wrote:
>
> > BTW do you know if Ronsen use a A Dodge machine for
> hammer felting ?
>
> Isaac,
>
> Yes, I think so. I live close by and have been there many
> times. Ronsen
> presses all my hammers. I do all of the shaping, wiring and
> boring myself.
>
> If you click on this link you will see a drawing of my hammer.
>
[link redacted at request of site owner - Jul 25, 2015]
>
> Click on the drawing and you will see another hammer drawing.
>
> John Hartman RPT
>
> John Hartman Pianos
[link redacted at request of site owner - Jul 25, 2015]
> Rebuilding Steinway and Mason & Hamlin
> Grand Pianos Since 1979
>
> Piano Technicians Journal
> Journal Illustrator/Contributing Editor
[link redacted at request of site owner - Jul 25, 2015]
>
>
>


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