Subjects for a Course

[Earl S. Dunlap, Jr.]

At 12:20 AM 06-02-99 -0600, you wrote:
>Thanks Earl, and Bacon Felt for your inguiries.   
>
> I do have questions... 
>
>Why is not the breed of sheep considered for making hammers?
>
>Is it possible for me to send to you a "pelt", (the contents of one shorn
>sheep) to you to be made into hammer felt?
>
>Richard Moody 
>----------
>> From: Earl S. Dunlap, Jr. <dunlapes@ici.net>
>> To: pianotech@ptg.org
>> Subject: Subjects for a Course
>> Date: Thursday, February 04, 1999 10:14 PM
>> 
>> Fellow Subscribers:
>> 
>> In addition to hosting a session on pianofelt making....
>> 
>
Richard,

Thanks sincerely for your suggestion of a topic.  We'll put that one into
the hat.  Actually, both comments taken together fit well into something
that can be addressed well together.

Although I should not put all my comments down here both for reasons of
space and for spoiling the fun at Provo, I will say in answer to your first
question that the breed of the sheep may well make for differences in either
or both the quality of the felt produced and differences in the processing
behavior of the felt.  Both must be considered.  The problem is, however,
that there are something like 25+ considerations (~ways to vary a felt),
many of which interact with one another.

In answer to your second question our commercial process requires about 100
to 150 pounds of felt to make the size batch of top hammer felt our hardener
produces.  Some small hand operation could probably use one fleece, however
the variations which would be expected from set to set and hammer to hammer
would make PT's very unhappy judging by the feelings I see expressed on this
mailing list.  I haven't even mentioned the variation from 100+ pound felt
batch to 100+ pound felt batch!

My own personal opinion is that there are so many variables involved it is
optimistic to think just the variety of sheep will solve all the problems
technicians find with the hammers they must use.  If the hammer manufacturer
uses the proper process and tells us in proper detail what qualities he
needs in the felt, at least in the case of our company, I think we can make
the good wools we use into a felt capable of satisfying the most
discriminating technician--of course, assuming the instrument is properly
designed and made.

Thanks for responding.  'Hope to see you at Provo.