[CAUT] Bushing cloth thickness

[Barbara Richmond]

Ed,

Spring clamps?  I thought they weren't to be trusted.  Did you adjust them somehow to them to make the "spring" evenly or with less pressure? 

About clamping pressure, wouldn't spring clamps increase it?


Barbara Richmond, feeling a little confused...

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: A440A at aol.com 
  To: caut at ptg.org 
  Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2007 10:08 AM
  Subject: Re: [CAUT] Bushing cloth thickness


  Fred asks, 

    Do you use cauls different from  Spurlock's standard sizes? I find they require considerably thinner cloth than .053. <<


       For Steinways, I use the stock felt with spring clamps on the balance rail, and, usually, .162" cauls  on the fronts.  For max. longevity, I try to avoid thick glue and heavy clamping pressure, as I feel that it basically turns the back of the cloth into an inflexible matrix, leaving less actual cloth to absorb the force of keys hitting the pins. 
  I once mixed up some hide glue, very thick, and began gluing the various felts to wood.  I then thinned it down, and glued the same felts.  Then, thinner yet.   It appeared that the thick glue captured more of the felt when pressure was applied, effectively rendering the "felt" to be thinner while supported by a much thicker glue/felt base.  It also made it more difficult to remove. 
  Since I am now rebuilding actions I did 20-25 years ago here at Vanderbilt, I really enjoy the ease of removing backrail cloth, damper felt, upstop rails, etc. that I glued with thin hide glue so long ago.  
  hope that helps,
  regards, 






    About humidity effects, It seems like the felt is a bigger factor, as high humidity yields sluggishness. The idea being that felt will swell, closing the gap, while the gap becomes wider due to expansion of the entire key (or button). I guess if there is crushed wood, though, that would tend to swell in high humidity, also closing the gap (kind of like what I imagine happens with pinblocks and loose pins).
    Regards,









  Ed Foote RPT



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