Hello Don & List > Hi Michael, > > A. use some "sound reinforcement" with a monitor for the pianist--instant > results and performer controlled. We could do that... > B. Iron the hammers--instant results I have a large soldering iron with a bent-over tip which I have ground out round for this purpose - and a couple of "Variacs" to control the voltage. This is the kit I use for Jolly Roger's system of steaming. Do I iron "dry" or spray the hammers for this, Don? > C. a light coating of hair spray--full results in 2 to 3 hours Hm.m.m.m...... I wouldn't have thought of that one! > D. More traditional doping methods. This is probably what I shall do in the end. This piano is only to be used for this show - about 18 performances spread throught the Season. Then it'll probably end up in the Instrument Store along with the infamous "Porgy" piano. Regards from Darkest Sussex Michael G.(UK) > > At 08:40 PM 5/15/2005 +0100, you wrote: >>Hello Rik & Andre and List >>I am trying to establish the fastest method of hardening the hammers of >>this >>old upright German "Katz" which is used on stage in "Bartered Bride". >>Right >>now we are still in rehearsal and it is very soft sounding. I have >>regulated >>the touch and the set-off to bring the hammers within about 5mm from the >>strings - which is pushing my luck somewhat as a lot of the butt springs >>are >>broken! Even so it is very soft-sounding. At the moment we are countering >>this to a degree by removing the front panel and kneeboard. Fortunately >>there's a music desk on the fall. I have the following potions :-) Apsco >>#425 Hammer Felt Reinforcer (that'll take you back a few years?). Very >>pungent smell. I also have a small can of Humbrol Nitrate Cellulose >>Dope - >>this is usually used to taughten the paper tissue skin applied to model >>aircraft. (great fun!) The Apsco stuff can, I believe, be thinned down >>using >>Acetone (nail varnish remover - more smelly stuff!) as required. Given the >>scenario and with the action on its front (hammers "up") what, in your >>opinion is the best, fastest and most effective way to harden those >>hammers? >>:-) >>----- Original Message ----- >>From: "antares" <antares@euronet.nl> >>To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org> >>Sent: Sunday, May 15, 2005 1:18 PM >>Subject: Re: Re voicing hammers >> >> >>> >>> On 15-mei-05, at 13:14, Ric Brekne wrote: >>> >>>> Hi Andre >>>> >>>> My own choice is cellulose lacquer. Its one of the softest, and >>>> springiest lacquers available. It always struck me that if one first >>>> was >>>> too use lacquer, then a lacqure with its own kind of resiliency was a >>>> sensible choice. Dries fast, results show themselves in about an hour >>>> and >>>> cures completely in a day or two (at least in the amounts used in >>>> hammer >>>> dopping). >>> >>> >>> Sure, that's why I had no negative opinion about it, other than the fact >>> that it dries up fast and is therefor a little harder to carry around. >>>> >>>> 'some technician' - has observed that lacquers and other hardning >>>> agents >>>> tend to coat the fibers of hammer felt making them brittle and >>>> essentially destroying their resilent capabitlites. So a chemical that >>>> simply causes the fibers to tension up a bit...(shrinking) without any >>>> other affect would perhaps be the ideal. Havent tried any such thing >>>> yet... shying from chemicals as I do, tho I have bumped into a bit of >>>> reading on the subject. >>> >>> All hardeners clot the wool fibers up to a degree. that's why they are >>> called hardeners. >>> I am against them on principle except for the outer extremities of the >>> keyboard i.e. the highest notes and the lowest notes. >>> >>>> >>>> As for collodium .... grin... you are wrong about its primary benifit >>>> Andre ! In reality that is its ability to make all future use of mind >>>> expanding drugs totally redundant !! :) >>> >>> >>> Ah but I like collodium because it does show a result after 1 hr and >>> especially for the fact that it is easy to carry around. If I want to >>> get >>> high, that makes it all the more attractive as well ... *((: >))) >>> la-la-la-la-la.... >>>> >>>> Oh.... and Terry... yep.. some folks are out there hardening Yamaha >>>> hammers. Usually because they have been devastated by softening >>>> agents, >>>> over steamed, or just plain needled to death. Strikes me that in spite >>>> of all the ingenious alternative methods our American allies have for >>>> doing things differently... too many over there have forgotten, put >>>> aside, or otherwise ignored developing and maintaining needling skills. >>>> No reflection on those who can mind you. One striking difference >>>> between >>>> voicing problems one runs into here in Europe visa vi those in America >>>> (based on personal experience) is that in America you find tons of >>>> cases >>>> of hammers mauled one way or the other by the uninitiated tech. Where >>>> as >>>> in Europe... the vast majority of voicing problems have their basis >>>> simply from a lack of voicing maintainance done. >>> >>> And in the case of Quentins remark about hammer dope used on Yamaha's : >>> He indeed means applying some hardener on hammers belonging to a >>> CFIII-S, >>> the concert grand which has ..... Wurzen felt. >>> usually the lowest and highest Wurzen hammers could use some extra >>> 'spritz', that's the price for less needling and easier needling. >>> >>> greets >>> >>> >>>> >>>> Cheers >>>> RicB >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Andre writes: >>>> >>>> /My "weapon of choice" is collodium (or collodion) because it is a >>>> natural hardener, mixed with alcohol and ether. >>>> >>>> The ether smells badly for a short time, but the advantage of this is >>>> that it is easy to apply (with a pipette), easy to take along (in a >>>> small >>>> glass bottle) as a standard tool case item for the traveling >>>> technician, >>>> it will stay the way it is (it does not harden out but stays liquid), >>>> after 1 hour we get a result and after 1 day the >>>> stuff has done its work completely/ >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >>>> >>>> >>> friendly greetings >>> from >>> André Oorebeek >>> >>> www.concertpianoservice.nl >>> >>> "Where music is no harm can be" >>> >>> >>> >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >> >> >>-- >>No virus found in this incoming message. >>Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. >>Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.11.10 - Release Date: 5/13/2005 >> >> > > Regards, > Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.P.T. > Non calor sed umor est qui nobis incommodat > > mailto:pianotuna@yahoo.com http://us.geocities.com/drpt1948/ > > 3004 Grant Rd. REGINA, SK, S4S 5G7 > 306-352-3620 or 1-888-29t-uner > >
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