That will also get it out of the wippen felt divot... David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA 94044 ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- From: "Albert Lord" <lordpiano at gmail.com> To: pianotech at ptg.org Received: 6/26/2009 10:13:41 PM Subject: Re: [pianotech] wippen felt advice >Tom, >Check the fore/aft position of the dowel capstan under the >wippen. Too far back, it will feel heavy. Bend the wire >a bit toward the front (of the piano), it will feel lighter. >Albert Lord >On Thu, Jun 25, 2009 at 7:27 PM, Tom Sivak <tvaktvak at sbcglobal.net> wrote: >> List >> The piano is a Steinway upright from the 1870s. It came to me, refinished, >> almost completely rebuilt, and nearly unplayable. There is a lot of >> friction, especially on some keys. I suspected verdigris, but the action >> centers were not the problem. (It is verdigris free, and everything moves >> freely.) >> >> The problem seems to be the wippen pads. The hammer moves with no >> appreciable resistance when I lift the wippen with my finger. Push the key >> down and I have to use undue pressure. The keys themselves need new >> bushings, move too freely, and are not the problem, either. >> >> The capstans are smooth and when I run my finger over the top there is no >> stickiness, roughness, or anything would increase friction. (They are the >> big wooden dowel capstans.) >> >> The wippen felt pads, though, are heavily dented, even though they were >> replaced in the rebuild. They are a white felt, they look to be an >> appropriate thickness, but my theory is that the felt was too soft and thus >> the dents are, at least, a part of the problem. >> >> I want to make sure I don't replace these with a felt that is also too >> soft. How can one measure and compare the softness of felts? >> >> Or is there a specific brand/weight/etc. that you have used with success? >> >> Thanks in advance for any advice you all might have, >> >> Tom Sivak >> Chicago >> >> >> >> >> >>
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