Kawai Millennium Actions

[Frank Emerson]

Hi Terry,

I think we are talking about two very different methods of weighing upright keys.  The original post sounded like a method with which I was familiar.  A later post stated that this Kawai model has a stainless steel weight, mounted vertically.  I am not familiar with this, and will let someone more familiar with it to elaborate on it further.

The weighing method that I referred to, and am familiar with, is lead, and mounted horizontally in the very end of the key.   It is 7.5mm in diameter and about 27mm long.  It is used only in the natural keys, because it would add too much weight to the sharps.  A hole is drilled in the end-grain of the key tail, centered left to right, and 10-15mm up from the bottom of the key.  It's advantages are, as I stated before:  With this sort of pre-weighing, you rarely need more than one additional lead weight, for final weigh-off in the traditional manner.  The greater part of the weight is at the very end of the key.  Five grams there, replaces what would otherwise be 10-15 grams that would otherwise be required closer to the balance rail, with traditional weigh-off methods.

Frank Emerson
pianoguru at earthlink.net


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Farrell 
To: Pianotech List
Sent: 1/2/2007 10:55:54 AM 
Subject: Re: Kawai Millennium Actions


Can someone expand details on these key weights? Is it indeed lead? What diameter? Exactly how is it mounted on the key? Pictures?

Thanks.

Terry Farrell
----- Original Message ----- 
>The other strange thing about these is the natural keys have a metal stud at the rear of the keys, and the sharps do not. Is this a weight, and if so, why not the sharps?

You will find this in newer Mason & Hamlin verticals, also (possibly others).  It's really a pretty nice idea.  It is a lead "wire," probably about 20 mm long, and its function if to pre-weigh the keys.  They are only in the natural keys, because it would over-weigh the sharps.  With this sort of pre-weighing, you rarely need more than one lead weight, for final weigh-off in the traditional manner.  The beauty of this system is that the greater part of the weight is at the very end of the key.  Five grams there, replaces what would otherwise be 10-15 grams that would otherwise be required closer to the balance rail, with traditional weigh-off methods..  

Frank Emerson
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