[pianotech] high leverage action

Gene Nelson nelsong at intune88.com
Sat Mar 14 07:09:32 PDT 2009




> One other thing that comes to mind is if the wippen heal/capstan interface
> starts out way above a line drawn between the key/balance rail contact 
> point
> and the wippen flange center pin, then the vertical travel of the wippen
> will be reduced.  More so if the capstan and wippen heal are both angled.
> If you haven't already checked this I would and if that points starts way
> above the line then cut a thick piece of action cloth and insert it 
> between
> the heal and capstan and turn down the capstan.  See if that doesn't buy 
> you
> some additional hammer travel.  Perhaps you've already checked this.

****Yes I have checked this carefully - the line bisects the whippen 
heal/capstan interface throughout its travel.
>
> With the front weights you've given removing lead from the keys seems a 
> low
> priority if necessary at all.
>
> David Love
> www.davidlovepianos.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On 
> Behalf
> Of Gene Nelson
> Sent: Friday, March 13, 2009 8:39 PM
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] high leverage action
>
>
>
>
>>
>> That being said, I'm something that on the surface seems at odds.  Deep
>> key
>> dip combined with shallow blow suggests very low leverage yet the weights
>> you describe (low SW's, medium FW's and relatively high BWs) don't seem
>> consistent with that but rather with a higher leverage. Have you actually
>> set the regulation in the piano as opposed to on the bench to be sure 
>> that
>> there isn't some bedding difference that might account for the regulation
>> oddity here?  I would want to resolve that apparent discrepancy before I
>> pursued major action modifications.
>>
> ****Yes, regulated samples in the piano and on the bench. The key frame is
> bedded - did that before I took the bed to hammer flange distance
> measurements.
>
> If there are minor discrepancies it is because the hammers and whippen 
> heals
>
> are not glued on yet - just stuck on lightly with a post it pad type
> adheasive.
>
> Other factors that I cannot figure is that the Tokiwa whippen for the 
> Knabe
> fits ok but the distance from the whip flange center pin to the jack 
> center
> pin is less on the Tokiwa than the original by 2mm - not certain if this
> affects leverage or not. It does not help with knuckle/jack alignment.
> I have both whippen heal sets - short and tall - either seems to work ok 
> and
>
> I cannot see any differences.
>
> Not mentioned was the key leading pattern - three 1/2" leads in the bass
> tapering to one in the treble and I think that I can remove the one in the
> top octave.
>
> The whip rail is adjustable and I will play around with the spread 
> tomorrow.
>
> Gene
>
>
>> David Love
>> www.davidlovepianos.com
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On
>> Behalf
>> Of Gene Nelson
>> Sent: Friday, March 13, 2009 7:35 PM
>> To: pianotech at ptg.org
>> Subject: Re: [pianotech] high leverage action
>>
>>
>> Thanks Dave,
>>
>>> I would guess that the hammers are bored too short or worn--check again.
>>
>> ***** The hammers are new and I have just bored them and they are correct
>> based on string height and hammer flange center height - no need to
>> recheck
>> something that I have already rechecked at least two dozen times. They 
>> are
>> light but I have a 5 pound roll of lead wire to help bolster their mass
>> and
>> intend to use it.
>>
>>  , play with the spread a bit and see what you can do in terms of 
>> changing
>>> the dip/blow balance,
>> ***** At 113mm I suppose this normal number may be excessive for this
>> action. I have not played with this yet.
>>
>> otherwise, on this piano power is probably not that
>>> much of an issue and redesign costs might be prohibitive.  Keep it
>>> simple.
>>
>> *****This piano is my spec piano and has a new custom board, redesigned
>> scale and bridge. As with so many aspects of novice rebuilding it is not
>> easy to see difficult issues before they manifest.
>> I am not opposed to action redesign but would like to make this one work.
>> It
>>
>> is my education so the expense is worth it to me.
>>
>> Gene
>>>
>>>
>>> David Love
>>> www.davidlovepianos.com
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On
>>> Behalf
>>> Of Gene Nelson
>>> Sent: Friday, March 13, 2009 4:52 PM
>>> To: pianotech at ptg.org
>>> Subject: Re: [pianotech] high leverage action
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hmmm... I think we'll have to be a bit more specific then that.  A 10
>>>> gram
>>>
>>>> strike weight in the top low strike weight zone equates to something
>>>> around hammer number 5.  A weight of 5 at key 88 is perhaps a quarter
>>>> zone
>>>
>>>> higher... that means you have really low hammer weight if this is
>>>> reflective.
>>> ***** I will probably push the hammers up to number 6. As I said, I have
>>> not
>>>
>>> done any corrective hammer leading yet.
>>>
>>> Front weights... assuming we are balancing the
>>>> same  notes you mentioned for hammer weights then you have an action
>>>> ratio
>>>
>>>> of 6.2 in the bass ranging to 7.8 in the treble.  Kind of wild... but
>>>> suffice to say you have a high action ratio... which fits at least your
>>>> KR
>>>
>>>> and Knuckle configuration.  Without more specifics this is just ball
>>>> park.
>>>
>>>> I'd ask for  at least 7-8 samples of SW, FW, BW, and KR along with your
>>>> WW
>>>
>>>> to get a more accurate picture of your situation...  say all C's but  I
>>>> think its safe to say you have a pretty high action ratio....no matter
>>>> which way you look at it.
>>>
>>> ******My samples were not all C's but they are all naturals, first and
>>> last
>>> in each section. - here it is:
>>> note#    SW    FW    BW    KR    WW
>>> 1          10      30.1    41.5  .55     16.4
>>> 25        10      26.7   42.5   .52     16.4
>>> 27        9.3     23.8   39.5   .54     16.4
>>> 45       8.4     15.5    44      .54     16.4
>>> 47       8.7     16.6    42.5   .53     16.4
>>> 66      6.8      7.7      42.5   .54     16.4
>>> 68      6.5      6.5      41.5   .54     16.4
>>> 88      5.0      6.8      36.5   .53     16.4
>>> Note that the WW value is the same because it is the average - the range
>>> was
>>>
>>> from 15.9 to 17.2
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Why you end up with such a short blow distance and deep key dip to get
>>>> any
>>>
>>>> aftertouch is a good question if the above is close to the truth of the
>>>> matter.  A short bore length would force you to raise the shank closer
>>>> to
>>>> the strings... ie raise the underlever (whippen) which should not
>>>> require
>>>> a deep key dip to get aftertouch. A long one would keep your shank just
>>>> off the rest cushion at a shorter blow distance... and perhaps fit the
>>>> condition of a high action ratio thats heavy, has keep key dip and 
>>>> short
>>>> blow with minimum aftertouch. But if you are certain about bore length
>>>> being at String height - hammer shank center height then something is
>>>> not
>>>> quite right with this whole picture.... grin.. or its just so late over
>>>> here that I've got things backasswards again.... wouldnt be the first
>>>> time. :)
>>> ****I am absolutely certain that the bore distances are based on String
>>> height - hammer shank center height.
>>>>
>>>> As far as minimum 44 mm.  I think thats about as short a blow as you 
>>>> can
>>>> allow for without sacrificing too much power.  Usually you find
>>>> somewhere
>>>> between 45 and 49... sometimes 44... sometimes 50.... rarely outside
>>>> that
>>>> because of what implications it has for the rest of action regulation
>>>> specs.  We have this ideal of about 10 mm key dip, and about 1.5 to 2.5
>>>> mm
>>>
>>>> letoff... which more or less dictates blow for any given amount of
>>>> aftertouch.  It all adds up usually to somewhere between 44 and 50 for
>>>> blow.
>>> **** I measured the height of the sharp blocks to get an idea of maximum
>>> key
>>>
>>> dip. Not that I like that much necessarily.
>>>
>>> Gene
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Cheers
>>>> RicB
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> >/ What are your Hammer Strike weights
>>>>> /*****10 in the bass and 5 in the treble - no corrective weighting
>>>>> action
>>>
>>>>> taken yet.
>>>>>
>>>>>  and key Front Weights ?
>>>>> *****
>>>>> 30 in the bass and 6.8 in the treble
>>>>>
>>>>>  Your dip
>>>>> >/ and blow say low ratio but your KR and knuckle distance says high.
>>>>> >How
>>>>> />/ much aftertouch are you getting with things as they are...
>>>>> /***** about 1.5mm or slightly less.
>>>>>
>>>>>  how far out
>>>>> >/ from under the knuckle does the jack move ?
>>>>> /*****Just enough for drop and aftertouch to happen.
>>>>> >/
>>>>> />/ 41 mm is on the short end of the stick to be sure.  I usually dont
>>>>> see />/ under 44 and never allow for less when redoing an action.
>>>>> /***** Do you have a reason for maintaining 44mm or greater blow
>>>>> distance?
>>>>>
>>>>> Regards,
>>>>> Gene
>>>>> >/
>>>>> />/ Cheers
>>>>> />/ RicB
>>>>> />/
>>>>> />/
>>>>> />/    Hello list,
>>>>> />/    Thought that I would seek comments on an action with high
>>>>> leverage.
>>>>> />/    Key dip is 10.5mm and blow distance is 41mm.
>>>>> />/    The touchweights are in the low 50's down and low 30's up.
>>>>> />/    Knuckle spread 16.5mm
>>>>> />/    Key ratio is 1.81
>>>>> />/    Action spread is 113mm and is adjustable.
>>>>> />/    Any more dip will make the sharps about level with the naturals
>>>>> when
>>>>> />/    depressed. The feel of the samples are acceptable. Seems that
>>>>> 41mm
>>>>> />/    blow distance is short - but is it too short? Maybe some loss 
>>>>> of
>>>>> />/    power? Is there a down side to this action? Any corrective
>>>>> />/    suggestions? It is in the sampling - disassembled stage.
>>>>> />/    Thanks,
>>>>> />/    Gene
>>>>> />/
>>>>> />/
>>>>> />/ /
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> 




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