in home regulating

[Dean May]

I bought a short 4 foot plastic folding table from Sam's for about $30 that
works really well for in home regulating. I can use it for displaying my
tools or I can set the action on it for work I prefer to do out of the
piano. 

The stool is a good idea. I usually place a folded up moving blanket on the
floor to kneel on or ask the customer for a large bath towel. 



Dean

Dean May             cell 812.239.3359 

PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 

Terre Haute IN  47802

 

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Conrad Hoffsommer
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 8:28 AM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Re: Shteinveigh Qvestion

A440A at aol.com wrote:
> Greetings, 
> << In-piano regulation is still the best. >>
> 
> I agree, to a point.

Yup, and that's the problem with my blanket statement sans caveats.

   I do virtually all of my regulating at the bench,
> unless the job is hours away from home.  I can do it faster, and, I think,
more 
> accurately. While some things must be done at the piano, such as key
leveling, 
> final let-off and dip,  there are a lot of procedures that are more easily
done 
> on a bench.  Seems at the factory, the regulators are all working on
benches 
> beside the piano.   

Perhaps in situ would be better than "in-piano".  As you point out, in 
the factory, regs are done on a bench, but one can easily just spin 
around, slip the action back into the piano and double/triple/quadruple 
check progress.  I do a lot of regulation steps with the action pulled 
out onto my lap, or spun around with the stack end sticking out.

I recently turned this process into a teaching time. The customer was 
floating in and out of the room as I was doing the regulation (S&S D) 
and I had the fun of letting him play after some of the individual 
steps. His reactions of amazement of what just one step (like balancier 
spring tension) would do for playability were repeated until the job was 
finished and he was not only happy, but appreciative.

> you're not cranking
> let-off buttons 4 turns while in an uncomfortable position at the piano.
> David M. Porritt, RPT

For these situations, Dave, I sit on a little step stool which puts the 
action at about my eye level. (did I say that I'm altitude challenged?) ;-}


-- 
Conrad Hoffsommer, RPT - Keyboard Technician
Luther College, 700 College Dr., Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045
1-(563)-387-1204 // Fax 1-(563)-387-1076