captured action

[Michael Spalding]

Ron, answers to your questions inserted below.  Thanks for your interest.

Mike

> [Original Message]
> From: Ron Nossaman <RNossaman@cox.net>
> To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>; <spalding48@earthlink.net>
> Date: 5/27/2003 9:37:30 PM
> Subject: Re: captured action
>
>
> >I need help figuring out how to get the action out of an Estey baby
grand.
> >As it sits, the bass hammers are 1/4 to 1/2 inch higher than the bottom
of
> >the stretcher.  Blow distance is 2", the shanks are settled firmly on the
> >rest rail felt.
>
> Terrific, another "locked door murder" puzzle. I assume the perpetrator 
> wasn't a criminal genius, so the action was gotten in there somehow, then 
> something fairly simple (I hope) was changed. Does the stretcher look 
> "painted in" where it contacts the rim, or is there an obvious gap
between 
> the two?

Looks "painted" (lacquered, actually) in, but also looks like it's been
messed up a little over the years.  No gap.  This is the mystery attachment
point.   

 Is there no contact at all between stretcher and pinblock, as in - 
> can you insert something between the two so it can be seen underneath and 
> slide it from rim to rim without hitting anything?

No contact between the stretcher and pinblock.   1cm or more gap.


> Is there enough compression slack to the shank rest felts to insert a
piece 
> of poster board between the spreader and hammers and shoehorn the action 
> out with it? Does raising the glide bolts get you any clearance?

No compression slack in the rest felt.  I should have said "shanks are
settled firmly into the rest rail felt"

> With a two inch blow distance, and no clearance at the stretcher,
something 
> is really strange. What's the key dip, by the way?

Key dip is around 3/8, not enough to achieve let-off on most notes.  This
piano was recently inherited and moved from Gramma's on the coast hasn't
been played since no-one remembers when, now they're wondering what it
would take to make it playable.   (So am I )

>
> Ron N