Dean May said: "Subject was 30 year old Wurly console. Complaint was intermittent sluggish keys. This was a multiple problem child. The presenting problem was jacks not resetting. It had the nasty felt for the knuckles and backchecks which contributed to excess friction on the jack. Then downweight was in the low 40 gr range and upweight was less than 20. I find that that kind of low upweight causes problems. It just isn't enough to get things reset. I hate to say it, but Console pianos do not have "knuckles"! Are you talking about Hammer Butt Leather? Please explain what the heck is "...the nasty felt..." is.<G> I changed out knuckles and backchecks to Ecsaine to improve friction. Then I added about a 10 gram weight into the back of the key and about a 4 gram fishing line weight to the bridle strap wire. I also reduced hammer spring tension slightly and damper spring tension until I was measuring around 25g at damper head. Reducing these spring tensions helped keep downweight from going up too much by adding the key/wippen weights. The results were down weights around 50g and upweights in the mid to upper 20g. When you "..added about a 10 gram weight into the back of the key.." did you weigh off the key on a scale to see how much down weight was on each key? Or, did you just add it to all the keys, in the same place/manner and assume that the down weight would be the same on each key?<G> The "...fishing line weight..." you referred to is called a Split Shot Sinker, just fyi.<G> It would have been more craftsmanlike to just drill a hole into each wippen base and insert the weight there. I doubt that the CA glue will do one darned thing to keep a lead weight in place, ...but.....it's your story, so have fun with it.<G> The results are definately excellent, although not very note specific. I added a drop of thick CA after crimping the weight just for a little insurance. The improvement was huge. A very responsive action. This is the first one that I've done adding the keyweights and wippen weights. It is my opinion, that the key weights alone, would be adequate. Given the ilk of the piano, it seems to be a lot more effort, than even I, would have done.<G> (I've been known to go to major extremes on lesser instruments, such a Over-Damper pianos.<G>) However, ya can't argue with success! I suspect the client is elated to have something that actually plays like a piano.<G> Best, Joe Joe Garrett, R.P.T. Captain of the Tool Police Squares R I
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