..damper seating..

[Jim Coleman, Sr.]

Hi Mike:

I'm sorry to have to tell this, but adjusting the action ball bolts leads
to all kinds of problems, the worst of which are damper problems. Baldwin
deliberately sets their actions tight. Most other manufacturers use action
bracket bolts which come out from the plate and hold the action bracket 
forks snugly with thumb nuts. These bolts are always stressed downward in
order to keep the bracket feet firmly on the ball bolts or action support
screws. If this is not done, the action can move or squeeck when the
damper pedal is actuated. In the case of the Baldwin action, the top action
bracket is screwed to bosses which rise from the plate surface. It is 
necessary to place some downward force on these brackets just in order to
get the screws started back in. Monkeying with the support bolts leads to
all kinds of problems like warping the action rails, causing the Bass and
Tenor dampers to be misaligned, changing the strike point, and in the 
Bass it can cause poor damper and hammer spacing to the strings. You have
to ask yourself: "Which would I rather have; tight action brackets; or,
all that regulation to do and then have squeecking action brackets everytime
the pedal is used.?"

Jim Coleman, Sr.

On Sat, 7 Feb 1998, Mike Masters wrote:

> Phil Bondi wrote:
> > 
> > ..just tuned a new Baldwin Acro..and Thank You Baldwin for taking the
> > *spinet* out of the Acro..
> > 
> > ..i noticed a overall *ring* in this piano..as if the entire Damper
> > system was not hitting the strings in the proper place..especially in
> > the wound strings..
> > 
> > ..the customer did not show concern, but I noticed it..
> > 
> > ..what would be the proper procedure for correcting this *minor*
> > problem..?..and I do mean minor..something tells me a turn on the
> > action bolts where the action sits might take care of the problem, but
> > wouldn't that but more strain on the top bolts..?
> > 
> > ..inquiring rookie minds wanna know..
> 
> 	I have the opportunity to work on quite a few of the new baldwin Grands 
> and Uprights, Acrosonics included. One thing I have noticed, and had a 
> problem with is that the action bolts are already turned up too high. I 
> dread removing the actions on these because it will not go back in 
> without first lowering the bolts. Then try to get them back to where 
> they were....... Well, the first one I did, I didn't count how many 
> turns I lowered them. Then when I reinstalled the action, realized that 
> there was definitely no lost motion. Instead of cranking them back up, I 
> turned them up so the action could be removed and replaced easily, and 
> then regulate the action, mainly lost motion and damper alignment. I am 
> not the best when it comes to regulating dampers so I fought with it. 
> But when the time comes 25 years down the road, when there is a broken 
> wippen flange, I'll know that I won't have to fight the action in and 
> out of the piano (or the next tech who comes along.)
> 
> Mike Masters
> Masters Piano Service
> Lakewood, OH
>