[pianotech] capstain/wippen angle, was: key position at rest

Ron Nossaman rnossaman at cox.net
Tue Mar 17 08:41:00 PDT 2009



Look at a "standard" center rail punching setup. As you cycle 
the key through it's normal (not exaggerated) range of motion, 
you'll see the fulcrum point shift from the rear of the 
punching to the center to the front, through a range of about 
10mm. Thicker punchings are more compressible, and the 
effective fulcrum points moves through a narrower range. The 
key, meanwhile moves visibly down, then up the pin during the 
stroke.

In an accelerated action, the fulcrum point looks to me to be 
moving no more than about a millimeter or so on the half 
round. Making the hole off center wouldn't change that a bit, 
but would increase movement of the key balance hole up and 
down the pin.

The key ratio in an accelerated action remains more constant 
through the range of key travel than that in a standard setup 
so, if anything, the half round fulcrum decelerates the system.

Ron N



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