[CAUT] Capstans to Tray

[Fred Sturm]

    I've been puzzling over a segment of this, and maybe my confusion is now
cleared up. "Set samples and then adjust the capstans to a straight edge."
I've been picturing these underlevers, unregulated and hanging helter
skelter, and I'm putting a straightedge under the capstans and making them
in line with the straightedge. Complete nonsense, says I. Something is
missing here.
    But I think I now see that what you do is set samples (only tightening
those wires, the others all being loose), then raise the lift tray to meet
the samples (and block it in place), then adjust all the other capstans,
which are resting on the lift tray, so that the bottoms of the underlevers
are in line with the straightedge (the capstans are raising - or lowering -
their respective levers to be in line, with the lift tray as the "gauge" or
base, and the samples as the reference). Now you tighten all the other
wires, and proceed with standard twisting, tweaking and whatnot.
    All this descriptive language is giving me a headache, reading and
writing it, but please verify that I have the picture more or less right, or
let me know I'm still out in left field. What I have described at least
makes sense (to me). Whether it's the most efficient way to go, and whether
or not it addresses what matters most is another question. I confess I give
marked preference to even lift from the tray, and efficiently tweaking that
using a capstan makes life better IMO <G>. As long as it's tweaking it, not
rough regulating it.
Thanks,
Fred Sturm
On 3/24/07 3:53 PM, "Jon Page" <jonpage at comcast.net> wrote:

> I have tried using the tray to set underlever height, as suggested by Yamaha.
> I find easier when installing the dampers if the underlevers rest on
> a hard surface
> such as The Spurlock gage or the tool I use, a large dowel (hand
> railing with a bolt installed), it fits into a small space in my tool
> box.
> 
> It saves me the trouble of constantly having to step on the damper pedal
> to regulate the dampers. Just lift the underlever with your finger
> and check with
> the gage. It might be an expedient way for a new factory install and probably
> is good for Yamaha style capstans where they will compensate for variations
> in tray felt thickness by aligning the underlever tips with a straight edge
> but
> too many variables involve in the field (different techs).
> 
> Once the dampers settle, unevenly; it is far easier to tweak the capstan
> for pedalling than it is to adjust the underlever for regulation.
> 
> Real world situation, set underlever to proper height; adjust capstan
> for even lift.
> 
> And as David pointed out, just another extra step.  But I can see the
> benefit to
> use this procedure to rough them in at the beginning of the
> regulation procedure.