Hi Bob <div> fist double check your calculations to be sure. Perhaps you already did this. If so then....What does the hammer flange center pin measure off the keybed. What are the string heights. 145 mm is a most center pin ht.,  or at least more usual than not. String height 190 to 192 in the tenor treble is common</div> <div> If the center pin is higher than 145 mm off the k.Bed then I would recommend lowering it by taking down the action cleats which is a WAY easier feat than the drastic keybed remedy mentioned.. Lowering the action stack by thinning the cleats will solve your issue with out taking such a huge risk as planing down the bottom of the key frame and then hoping to get it flat again. Capische?</div> <div>The farther things are from spec the more action issues you will have. ie No magic line compliance, capstans buried. Back check heights wrong etc. <div style="color: navy; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; clear: both;">Dale Erwin R.P.T. Erwin's Piano Restoration Inc. Mason & Hamlin/Steinway/U.S. pianos www.Erwinspiano.com Phone: 209-577-8397 <tt><tt>     </tt></tt> </div> <div style="color: black; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: 10pt;">-----Original Message----- From: Ari Isaac <isaac@isaacpiano.com> To: caut <caut@ptg.org> Sent: Thu, Feb 7, 2013 1:55 pm Subject: Re: [CAUT] More hammer length needed <div id="AOLMsgPart_0_e39a7c37-5f29-4268-820a-c0513a0f30e5" style="margin: 0px;font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;font-size: 12px;color: #000;background-color: #fff;"> <pre style="font-size: 9pt;"><tt>Hi Bob. The problem isn't as severe as you might think. It's true that the early Steinway hammers were quite short. What I've done on previous sets for early Steinways, which happened quite often, is to trim back the felt in the low tenor where, as you say, you'd have to drill into the felt. this presents no problem. That's all that's involved. Also, your measurements aren't as short as others I've had to deal with so I don't see much of a problem. Hope this helps. ari isaac hand made bass strings and piano hammers 416 229 2096 <a href="mailto:isaac@isaacpiano.com">isaac@isaacpiano.com</a> <a href="http://www.isaacpiano.com" target="_blank">http://www.isaacpiano.com</a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/isaacpiano.com" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/isaacpiano.com</a> -----Original Message----- From: <a href="mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org">caut-bounces@ptg.org</a> [<a href="mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org?">mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org</a>] On Behalf Of Bob Hull Sent: February-07-13 12:24 PM To: <a href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut@ptg.org</a> Subject: [CAUT] More hammer length needed I am building a new top action with WN&G Parts. The piano is a 1923 Steinway M. The needed hammer lengths after calculations is from 42.5 mm in the low tenor to 45 mm in the high treble. Bass hammer calculations call for 50 mm hammer boring in the low bass up to 52 mm at the top of the bass section. Obviously this would have me drilling just about into the felt on the lower ends of the sections. The old hammers are raked I guess to allow more hammer length. I don't want to rake the hammers on the new action. What do you think about planing down the key frame bottom or rails to remove 2-3 mm of height ? I am installing new key pins anyway. Also, The clearance above the stack to the pin block is barely more than 1/4". It has been rebuilt at least once already so it's hard to know what the original set-up was. With WN&G rails and parts I can adjust things much more easily than with the SS fixed rails/brackets. What do you think about this solution of altering the key frame? Somehow I need more distance between the hammer action center and the string ht. in order to drill lower on the hammer. Bob Hull Sent from my iPhone </tt></pre> </div>  </div> </div>