Steinway Damper sytem upgrade

[David Love]

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If you cut your own damper felt, Renner USA sells bi-chord strips that
are designed to fit between the thickest bichords as well as the thinner
ones.  
 
David Love
davidlovepianos@comcast.net 
-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On
Behalf Of Erwinspiano@aol.com
Sent: Friday, November 19, 2004 6:54 AM
To: pianotech@ptg.org; Bruce.Stevens@verizon.net
Subject: Re: Steinway Damper sytem upgrade
 
In a message dated 11/19/2004 6:53:04 AM Pacific Standard Time,
Erwinspiano writes:
In a message dated 11/19/2004 6:47:04 AM Pacific Standard Time,
Erwinspiano writes:
  Damperfiles
   I just finished up the upgraded S&S grand damper  system & it works
slick. I can set the individual key lift as precisely as I wish & then
dial in the tray lift without the usual futzing with paper & such.
Damper pedal lift is readily touch-up-able which is really cool & you
can dial in a perfect  lift in minutes after the dampers seat. 
    Also I matched the original leading pattern & recycled the felt
spring blocks & remounted them to the new lever in the original location
in the old springs on the underlevers. This moves the spring back &
prevents it from hitting the bottom of the upstop which the new spring
slots approach interference
    I was having a bit trouble with nice clean damping shut off in the
bi-chords. I typically use the Tokiwa damper sets which I like but even
with wide bichord agraffes in the lowest 4 bichord notes I had too much
ring thru & not enough felt penetration of the tip of the felt into the
string pair.
 To remdy this I pulled the bichord heads all out & pinched the nose of
the felt to slip thru the strings a bit more & voile. Clean sounding
shut off. I got to wondering if some of you are using the same felt. I
think the French felt Loreux might have a finer profile on the tip. 
  It also great to be able to precisely set the upstop for one position
    Any way Skinned a new cat. Hope that''s OK with the dog
   Thanksgiving blessings on you all
   Dale
 
   
   List
I've been modifying many of  old Steinway damper systems with a variety
of features which greatly improves its functionability & adjustability.
Many of these ideas are not my own but have found them useful just the
same.grin. I've been installing the new Renner Back actions fairly
routinely which gives a more effective sostenuto usage with the spring
loaded tabs & also the fact that individual parts can be taken off for
service if necessary without disassembling the whole dang damper action
I.E. to reglue some flanges that have come unglued or repin a part or
two.
   Along with  this I've also found that a few other modifications which
are not difficult to execute also increase performance.
 ! Installing the tray center pivot pin so it is in line with the
underlever centers. This requires modifying or making a new pivot block
for at least one end.
  Result. 1.This eliminates the disparity of function in the upstop
adjustment. Meaning an upstop adjustment is made which is equally good
for pedal lift as is it is for individual key lift.
  2. the heavy pedal syndrome is made more normal by reducing weight &
friction felt on the pedal & eliminates much of the damper thumping on
the strings by less experienced players
  3. Eliminates the severe dipping of the underlevers when the tray is
out of adjustment that digs out the key lift felt with extra friction
caused by the out of adjustment.
  4. removing wooden or brass pedal pitmans that (always) squeak. This
requires drilling an enlarged hole thru the keybed 3/4" or so &
installing a wooden dowel with 3/4" front punchings glued to each end &
a balance rail pin installed and protruding 3/16  inch out of the dowel.
The tray & pedal lever are drilled to accommodate the felt & pin   The
result is a totally quiet squeak-free movement
 5. Install a new set of Modern adjustable pedal rods. What a blessing.
See pianotek
 6. Install a capstan as a sustain pedal lever travel limiter on the
bottom of the keybed. This removes the archaic block of felt method
formerly employed on all Stwy pianos, & others of course & allows for a
precise amount of damper lift& lever travel. A nice feature which keeps
the underlevers from slamming into the upstop felt creating those
annoying dents which reduce function.
 7.  relocate tray return springs. In these pianos either a leaf spring
type was used in the top treble end of the tray or in later models a
coil spring was applied  on the bass end of the tray causing the tray to
warp.
   The new springs are fit between the lever sections. One is mounted
close to the pitman which is where it needs to be to keep the tray from
being twisted during lift,resulting in a strange array of damper lift
setting problems & eventual tray warpage. Some systems require another
mounted between bass and tenor sections.
 8. The last thing which is new to me came about because of a
conversation with David Love about this. Del had done a tray for him
this way & I'd heard about others doing this so...
    I mounted small11/32inch long capstans under each underlever. This
allows for a very precise & perfect damper lift without all the usual
futzing and straining to move a lever in the flange just the tiniest
fraction of a mm/or inch for standard folks.
  The lip of the tray needs to be thinned by about 3 mm to allow for
capstan head clearance. A quick pass on the table saw does this in a
second. 
  Drill the appropriate size hole for the capstan shank & press with
arbor press or Tap in carefully with a hammer with the tray supported
really well
8. Installing the extra wide bichord agraffes from Pianotek on the
lowest 4 bichords increase the ability of the bichord felt to get
between the large bichord bass strings which really improves damping.
 9 On many pianos, especially longer ones I also find improved damping
by using four equally cut pieces of damper felt in the mono- chord
section & on the first 2 to 4 bichord notes. This is especially helpful
on longer strings & also on smaller  pianos on which I have had all my
mono chords double wrapped by the string maker.
  
 
  An Addendum.
   Some later stwys , 1950 ish & later came without return springs. I've
learned this the hard way, ( of course), that these need springs
especially in the bass. This is my humble opinion based on failure to
damp experience, even with proper fitted guide rail bushings & nicely
fit wires, head lift etc.
  These upgraded systems are a huge improvement over the original
equipment setup IMHO and are not difficult to do. It does increase labor
time but it's worth it
  Hope this is food for thought and comment.
  Dale Erwin
 
 
Erwins Pianos Restorations 
4721 Parker Rd.
Modesto, Ca 95357
209-577-8397
Rebuilt Steinway , Mason &Hamlin Sales
www.Erwinspiano.com
 
 

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