popsicle stick engineering

[Kent Swafford]

OK, so you establish a new capstan line. Excellent. As long as I'm  
checking and controlling the key ratio, I'll guard against  
perpetuating mistakes in the original drilling. Thanks, I appreciate it.


Kent


On Oct 25, 2006, at 10:37 PM, David Love wrote:

> That's pretty good.  I use a cut-off capstan screwed into a piece  
> of that
> divider material that comes in a Renner shank box cut to about 1  
> inch in
> length and the width of the key stick.  I cut the capstan to the  
> approximate
> length that I will need for that action (since they vary) and the  
> thickness
> of the divider material gives me some wiggle room.  I use a piece  
> of double
> stick tape to adhere the piece of wood to the key top while I'm  
> moving it
> around until I get the regulation or weight that I want.  When I  
> get it
> right I remove the key and measure the key ratio Stanwood style.   
> Then I
> test a couple more at different points in the key frame to see if  
> the key
> ratio will be consistent through the set (sometimes it's not for  
> various
> reasons).  The only benefit to this over yours is that I'm not  
> indexing off
> the original capstan in case there's an inconsistency in the previous
> drilling.  Rather, I'm looking for optimization and then  
> determining if I
> can use that same position determined by the key ratio throughout.
>
> David Love
> davidlovepianos at comcast.net
> www.davidlovepianos.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org]  
> On Behalf
> Of Kent Swafford
> Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 7:21 PM
> To: Pianotech List
> Subject: popsicle stick engineering
>
> Hey,
>
> What do you good people use to determine how far capstans need to be
> moved? (I know how to determine when the ratio is correct.) I mean
> how do you physically measure how far the capstan has been moved?
>
> This is two sticks that slide against each other held together by
> heat-shrink tubing. The stud at left locates the existing capstan
> hole -- and the original capstan position when the sticks are
> aligned. The upper stick moves the faux capstan (which is also
> adjustable up and down, threads packed with teflon tape). The offset
> between sticks on the right can be measured and accurately represents
> the distance the capstan has been moved.
>
> Ballast could be added to duplicate the front weight of the key with
> its original capstan.
>
> So, what _should_ I be doing?   8^)
>
>
> Kent
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