Dummy Dampers/Keith

[Joseph Garrett]

At 12:12 PM -0600 11/29/03, Ron Nossaman wrote:
>... The intended purpose of the auxiliary damper lever is to keep
>the lifter bar off of the damper levers to give the dampers at least
>some chance of working. The squeak is just a bonus.

While you have made some excellent points, Ron, I still am unable to
accept this conclusion. If this were the case, most all manufacturers
of vertical pianos would include this auxiliary damper lever in their
piano without fail for the premises you have given. Such is not the
case, however.

I'm standing by the 'two rod acting as one theory' as the primary
purpose of having that lever.

Any vertical piano that needs that lever to keep a single rod away
from the dampers for whatever reason had problems from the getgo. A
properly designed and adjusted damper system with one continuous rod
doesn't need it.

I'm looking at a Young Chang console system right now, and there is
*no way* that rod, *by itself*, is going to cause leakage in the
damper system unless someone removes more than all the lost motion
from the sustain pedal.

Now it is self evident that the weight of the rod could effect a
damper system that is misadjusted. Surely, that is not the issue with
me. I am speaking only to what I have decided is the primary purpose
of the auxiliary damper lever from a manufacturing viewpoint.

As for the squeak, ah well.

>Anyone remember the old Pianocorder damper solenoid system?

Not familiar with it. Sounds like a 'borrowing from Peter to pay
Paul' thing though for a particular situation.

Best,

Keith McGavern

Gees Keith,
You're sure being hard nosed on this!<G>
The points you make are valid, EXCEPT, you are assuming, (there's that
stupid word again.), that actions are correctly designed, which most are
not. Also, you are assuming, (again), that the implementation of the workers
of the basic design is correct. Wrong! That's were the dummy damper comes in
to play/use.
As for the "squeak" please read my post again. I answered/solved that
problem with a leather punching! VJ lube is to keep the leather supple.
Regards,
Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)
Captain, Tool Police
Squares Are I