Seasoning Dampers

[David Ilvedson]

I've never used any weights, just overnight and normal underlever weight...

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Bob Hull" <hullfam5 at yahoo.com>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Received: 5/24/2008 8:46:17 PM
Subject: Seasoning Dampers


>   Dear Friends, 

>   In my early training for rebuilding pianos, I was
>taught to make a moderate set of weights to place on
>top of the damper heads for newly installed damper
>felts.  I used a couple of pieces of pvc pipe with a
>small block of wood on top to put on the new dampers
>with the intention of helping the new felt conform to
>the string.

>  However, a couple of weeks ago a well-respected tech
>said that other techs and he shared the opinion that
>this practice caused problems for them, actually
>deforming the felt due to the extra weight.

>   I feel like I am spending more time than I should
>to get a new set of dampers working effeciently so I
>tried this.  At least on the piano I just finished, I
>had better results without the seasoning weight. 

>What are your experiences regarding this practice?

>Thanks,
>Bob Hull



>