Diagnose This! (A puzzler)

[Avery Todd]

Alan,

Which regulating screw are you talking about? I'm referring to the
one which moves the jack forward or back, depending on where it needs
to be in relation to the knuckle core wood.

Avery

At 12:05 AM 07/16/03 -0500, you wrote:
>Yes, but how? Turning the regulating screw accomplished nothing.
>
>Alan R. Barnard
>Salem, MO
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On
>Behalf Of Avery Todd
>Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 8:38 PM
>To: Pianotech
>Subject: Re: Diagnose This! (A puzzler)
>
>
>Correct the position of the jack under the knuckle????
>
>Avery
>
>At 08:32 PM 07/15/03 -0500, you wrote:
>
> >Piano: Late model Geo. Steck small grand.
> >
> >
> >
> >The Problem: G#3 failing to play on a hard blow.
> >
> >
> >
> >Observations: Plays with perfect reliability on soft blows but misses
> >almost every time on hard blows (jumps up a little but no where near
>the
> >string).
> >
> >
> >
> >Possible causes eliminated:
> >
> >
> >
> >1.       Key stick is NOT cracked or broken
> >
> >2.       “Catcher Interference” ruled out by the umpire—hammer tail is
>NOT
> >snaggin’ or draggin’ on the buckskin.
> >
> >3.       Hammer, shank, and knuckle are fine. Observed, from marks on
>the
> >knuckle, that it was only resting on one side of the rep lever. Hammer
> >not
> >centered well on strings either. Adjusted the lateral position of both
> >hammer and rep lever to better align everything. Had no effect on the
> >problem. (Before you squawk, the piano is pretty new; the hammers
> >virtually grooveless*.)
> >
> >4.       Examined whippen assy. No problem with flanges or centers. No
> >cracked or broken parts. Nothing missing. Nothing unhooked or out of
> >its
> >slot, etc. All in like new condition.
> >
> >
> >
> >Clues:
> >
> >
> >    * Let off was early (maybe 3/8”) and turning the adjusting dowel
> > didn’t seem to change the letoff point. Hmmm …
> >    * Jack height was good but jack was too far forward. Aha! Jack
>isn’t
> > getting fully under the knuckle and is tripping out so fast on a hard
> > blow that there is nothing to lift the hammer! Yes, yes!
> >    * Turned the jack regulating screw … jack did not move any further
> > back. I could push it back, but it just came forward again when
>released.
> >    * The wippen spoon was bent a little, more angled than on
>neighboring
> > whippens … almost as though someone (factory?) was trying to get that
> > jack into position. Straightened the spoon. No help. Turned the
> > regulating screw until the felt and dowel were no longer even touching
>
> > the spoon. Jack stayed right where it was.
> >
> >
> >Hint: I had to remove the jack to fix the trouble but there was no
> >problem, whatsoever, with the jack. In reinstalling the jack, I used a
> >certain tool that I already had at hand … (what a giveaway!)
> >
> >
> >
> >Puzzler: If I said any more, it wouldn’t be a puzzler now would it?
> >What
> >simple thing was necessary to restore this key to full power and proper
>
> >regulation?
> >
> >
> >
> >Prize: One of my regular clients. (Note: I get to pick which one, and I
> >have someone specific in mind.)
> >
> >
> >
> >(To Joe Garrett: Thanks, Joe. And feel free to submit an entry.)
> >
> >
> >
> >Alan R. Barnard
> >
> >Salem, MO
> >
> >
> >
> >*Grooveless? Like, wow, Man, that is so un-glad. I am, like, totally
> >bummed for you. I really feel for that felt. Have a flower.
> >
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>
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