Rail Flex

[Jon Page]

I applied the pressure to the rail as it sat in position,
secured to the key frame on the keybed.
Balance rails studs were in contact.

>we honestly believe our system works as well as, if not 
>better than, anything else out there.
>Stephen Dove, Steinway & Sons, New York

Hence the assumption that flexing is desireable.

When I hit a key on the M (bass section) with a forte blow,
I can see other hammers jump slightly across the section.
Same procedure on the C7, if there is any of the other
hammers jumping it is very difficult to distinguish.
The Knabe was not assembled for this comparison.

Jon Page
Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass. (jpage@capecod.net)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At 09:39 PM 9/12/98 -0600, you wrote:
>Hi Jon,
>          No this assumption is incorrect, flexing of the stack and key
>frame will make you reach the action saturation point much faster. Your
>test would only hold true if the action was mounted on a rigid surface due
>to the following, 1. Maple, Oak or pine key frame a big difference in
>flexibility.
>2. the number and alignment of glide bolts on the balace rail. I am sure
>you have see and heard the results on Yamaha's that have one of the most
>flexual frames in the industry. The bigger the piano  the more noticable
>the changes due to the increase in depth of action.
>  The test would be relavent if you screwed the stack to a firm bench,
>pressed on the rail and measure the increase in height of the hammer.
>  But you observations are the same as my own, except sustitute Baldwin for
>M & H. Baldwin uses 100% maple rails on action and frame.
>Regards Roger

>>One is to presume then, that flexing is a desireable feature to have in the 
>>system.
>>Still wondering,
>>Jon Page