Slow Hammer Return

[piannaman at aol.com]

 Michelle,
 
Check for tightness in any parts, not just flanges.  It could be in the sticker guide rail bushings as well.  Or, as John Ross suggested, there may be hammer return springs broken.  They come off when we  pull dropped mutes out of the action.  When that happens, most of us put them back in the slot most of the time....
 
I doubt if keys are tight on a piano that's that old, but it's worth a look.  
 
Isolate the different functions to check for sluggishness.  AFter awhile you'll be able to diagnose things fairly quickly.
 
Dave Stahl


Dave Stahl Piano Service
650-224-3560
dstahlpiano at sbcglobal.net
http://dstahlpiano.net/



 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Michelle Smith <michelle at cdaustin.com>
To: 'Pianotech List' <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Sat, 3 Jun 2006 16:34:35 -0500
Subject: RE: Slow Hammer Return


Actually, I was wrong.  It’s not the Wood & Brooks.  It’s the spinet with the wooden inverted stickers instead of lifter wires/elbows.
Thanks for all of the great information.  
(I also found some stuff in the Technical Exam Source Book.)
 
Michelle
 
 
 
 



From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Farrell
Sent: Saturday, June 03, 2006 4:25 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Re: Slow Hammer Return
 
"BTW whats an Inverted Direct Blow? Is it upside down?"
 
I assume she is talking about one of those....... Brooks action is it? I think the name is something like that.
 
"How long is a soaking? Are you submerging the entire part into this mixture or are you just soaking the center with drops?"
 
Drops. I tend to be pretty liberal with my drops - just want to be sure to get the bushings good and soaked. Just make sure you don't soak the butt leather off (DAMHIK! - although I wonder, was that worse than the time I filled all the key pin mortices on a set of keys with water to soak the bushings out? Wanna know how to plump-up a set of keys?). Actually, what I do is get my aim calibrated, set the action to where I have access, and squeeze my squirt bottle (fine tip) and just run a stream of it right up the whole action in one direction on the butt centers. Then I squeeze again and run it right across all the butt/flange centers the other way. I might repeat that. Then I'll target another action center if needed - check them all - jacks, dampers, etc.
 
"Are there any other causes I should look for before I try soaking?"
 
Well, you need to do the standard checks. Isolate the keys from the action - which one is slow? Remove a couple butts and check flange friction. Just isolate all the moving parts and you should be able to identify with confidence exactly where the problem is (or where the problems are).
 
I'll put a fan on when I let them dry overnight - put the fan on low and not even point it directly at the action. I've had real good luck with it. Often one application makes the magic work completely. Sometimes it will only get 80% of the centers and you need to do it again. Even then sometimes I'll have to Protek a few centers to get them all working.
 
Terry Farrell
 
 
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