advice on action parts

[Jon Page]

At 02:48 PM 3/25/99 -0600, you wrote:
>
>
>Hi,
>
>I caught part of this discussion, and am wondering if anyone else has come
>onto keys where the ratio is significantly different from bass to treble?
>This summer I plan to change the ratio on one of our S&S D's that has
>always been too high. Can't even get a decent dip without slamming the
>jacks. I have forgotten the ratio numbers, but I do know that the capstans
>formed a straight line about 1/4" out further in the treble than in the
>bass. Never seen that before. 
>Dennis Johnson
>St. Olaf College
> 

Knuckle radius is important if you are changing the shanks, even if not;
they could be cut off flush and a new slot cut for placing a knuckle at a 
better radius.  It may be easier than having to not only move the capstan
forwards, but to also cjange the cushion position and height.

A 15.5 radius gets the hammer to the string faster (sooner) than a 17mm
radius, ergo more after touch resulting in the jack possibly buring into the
stop felt.

But the system could be compounded with a capstan arc moving the
wippen thru too great a distance. Remedied by moving the capstan forwards
which decreases its arc and consequently moves the capstan further away
from the wippen center (fulcrum) reducing its arc; all in all reducing jack
travel.

There's a lot of figuring and testing to come up with a combo which optimizes
the action.

Having shanks with the various knuckle executions and a wippen with a movable
cushion
(with inverted capstan) helps to zero in on opitmum settings.

I know I'm leaving something out . . .

Jon Page

"I'm tryin' to think but nuttin' happens".
                        ---- Curley