[pianotech] adding weights

[Delwin D Fandrich]

I've never tried weighting the action as Dean did. I have drilled wippen
bodies and inserted lead wire to add about the same amount of mass. Takes a
lot longer and probably isn't practical unless you have the wippens off for
some other reason (as I did). The same can be done-sometimes-with the
catcher. 

 

I have used split leads on damper wires where they seem to work indefinitely
without causing problems.

 

ddf

 

Delwin D Fandrich

Piano Design & Fabrication

6939 Foothill Court SW, Olympia, Washington 98512 USA

Phone  360.515.0119 - Cell  360.388.6525

 <mailto:del at fandrichpiano.com> del at fandrichpiano.com -
<mailto:ddfandrich at gmail.com> ddfandrich at gmail.com

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Allen Fisher
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2012 6:01 AM
To: PTG
Subject: Re: [pianotech] adding weights

 

I would put the split shots the other way around so with a hard blow they
would be less likely to loosen. The abrupt stop would be towards the closed
side of the split shot.

  _____  

From: deanmay at pianorebuilders.com
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:10:50 -0500
Subject: [pianotech] adding weights

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 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. 

 



 

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.

 

Dean

Dean W May                        (812) 235-5272 voice and text

PianoRebuilders.com           (888) DEAN-MAY         

Terre Haute IN 47802           Give us a LIKE on Facebook! Go to
PianoRebuilders.com
<https://www.facebook.com/pages/PianoRebuilderscom/137780082943148> 

 

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