Weighing off an action

[David Love]

I weigh off with the stack on, strike weights smoothed, the action
regulated and lubricated.  Measure up and down weights.  Figure out
friction and balance weight for each note.  Adjust front weight leading for
each note to get even balance weight.  One gram off the front weight will
increase the balance weight by 1 gram.  You need a platform for weighing
such as David Stanwood makes and a gram scale.  Make all the balance
weights the same and maintain as uniform a leading pattern as possible with
respect to front to back placement.  Address high and low friction values. 
Works very neatly.  

David Love
davidlovepianos@earthlink.net


> [Original Message]
> From: Greg Newell <gnewell@ameritech.net>
> To: <MPT@philbondi.com>; Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: 5/12/2003 10:33:08 AM
> Subject: Weighing off an action
>
> Greetings listees,
>          I'd like to ask if the method that everyone uses to weigh off
an=20
> action is done with the stack in place or not.
>          I've just finished an action from a "D" that I first
encountered=20
> with jiffy leads screwed on underneath the keys. This was, I presume,
to=20
> alleviate a touch that was too heavy. This was, of course, unsuccessful
and=
> =20
> the individual leads were placed in such a way that about half of them=20
> clicked or knocked on the key frame. After some mental debate I decided
to=
> =20
> replace all action parts in favor of the Renner Turbo Wippen and=20
> appropriate shanks with "blues" etc. While going through the procedure=20
> during a marathon action day yesterday it was necessary to remove
and/or=20
> change some leads in the keys. After a thorough mental debate I decided
to=
> =20
> place an appropriate gram weight in the small hollow on the key just
before=
> =20
> the back checks of the weight I desired and then remove, add, change,=20
> whatever was necessary to allow a slow drop of the key at the backcheck=20
> end. I changed weight about every 6 keys or so starting from about 38
grams=
> =20
> or so in the bass and lightening the load by roughly 2 grams each change.
>          This seems like it's contrary to what most folks do when
weighing=
> =20
> off an action as I suppose that the method is to gauge the rate of fall
at=
> =20
> the front of the key and not the back. Since I had the stack off
initially=
> =20
> I found it a great deal easier and faster to leave it off. The end
result,=
> =20
> I must say, is quite good indeed. The graduation from top to bottom is
so=20
> smooth! By the time it came to regulate the wippen support spring the=20
> procedure was effortless. After a rough regulation and adjustment of
the=20
> wippen springs the feel is still a very smooth and gradual progression.
>          I suppose that one of the reasons this worked so well is the=20
> consistency of the Renner parts. Has anyone else ever done it this way?
Are=
> =20
> there any potential pitfalls anyone can see with this method? I
attempted=20
> to concentrate any of the leads I added close to the balance rail when=20
> possible. I can't believe that the touch was ever very good as what I=20
> encountered was very inconsistent. I will do final installations /=20
> tweakings at the piano tomorrow. If there's any change in the perceived=20
> quality of feel I'll let you know but for now at least, I'm quite happy=20
> with the results.
>          Looking forward to your comments!
>
>
> Greg Newell
> Greg's piano Fort=E9
> mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net=20