Damper Rod Problem

[David ilvedson]

> Date:          Thu, 14 Aug 1997 15:01:35 -0400 (EDT)
> From:          Les Smith <lessmith@buffnet.net>
> To:            pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject:       Re: Damper Rod Problem
> Reply-to:      pianotech@ptg.org

Great advice Les!!!!

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA

  
> 
> On Thu, 14 Aug 1997, Newton Hunt wrote:
> 
> > >Dear List,
> > >
> > >I'm working on an old Cable upright player.  I've seen the following
> > >problem in the past.  When the horizontal damper lifter rod (the one behind
> > >the dampers) is lifted, the bass dampers lift first, then the tenor.
> > >Finally the treble dampers lift hardly at all.  Is this rail bent from
> > >years of use or are the felt bushings which hold the pivot points bad?  I'm
> > >hoping to get some idea of the more likley cause before I really get into
> > >this thing.
> > >
> > >Thanks to all,
> > >Bob Sadowski RPT
> > >Erie,PA. 
> > 
> > The bushing could be worn and cause such a problem, but, it is more likely
> > that the hangers are bent .
> > 
> > Observ the damper lift and pick the area which is to your liking.
> > 
> > Remove the lift rod and check the hangers on a flat survace, like the top of
> > the piano.  Check to see that the hanger ends are all on the surface, if not
> > make them so.  Check the bass pivot to see if the felt is indeed worn and
> > replace if so.
> > 
> > While you have the rod out clean and lube it and the hangers.
> > 
> > Gentlyreplace the rod and check in the piano.
> > 
> > This sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn't and the results can be
> > rewarding.
> > 
> >      Newton
> >      nhunt@jagat.com
> > 
> Actually, it's going to be a hell of a lot of work if the player action is
> still in the piano, because it's going to have to be removed first , so
> that the piano action can then be removed and the damper lift rod then
> serviced. Before TOUCHING such a piano, ascertain whether or not the
> player is working by having the OWNER play a roll for you. You need to
> know if, and how well the player is working BEFORE you touch the piano,
> because after you're finished you may find the player working poorly,
> or not at all, and then have the owner tell you, "What did YOU DO to
> my player, it was working GREAT BEFORE you took it apart."!
> 
> And that's not all. It's possible that the player might still be work-
> ing to some degree, but that all the tubing and hoses are so brittle
> that disturbing them IN THE SLIGHTEST, will cause them to break and
> the player to cease functiong. It's possible that you could find your-
> self in a situation where it could cost YOU *MUCH* more to have to pay
> a player tech to get the instrument working again than what you would
> make fixing the damper rod problem. Work like that you don't need!
> Most old, barely-working plkayer are unstable time-bombs just waiting
> to explode in the face of some earnest, well-meaning technicin. You don't
> want that technician to be you.
> 
> Further, even if the player isn't working, you can still run into prob-
> lems. A few years ago a fellow technician removed a non-working player
> stack to access the piano action so that several loose jacks could be
> reglued. In the process of removing the player action which was covered
> with 3/4 of a century of dirt and grime, he inadvertently got some of
> it on the customer's brand-new, off-white, wall-to-wall carpeting. They
> made such a stink about it that he wound up having to pay for having
> the whole carpet cleaned professionally! Do you really want, or need
> that kind of work? Does anyone?
> 
> Les Smith 
> 
> 
> 
>