adjusting capstans

Billbrpt@AOL.COM Billbrpt@AOL.COM
Thu, 11 Jan 2001 20:34:25 EST


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Grand or vertical?  It wasn't entirely clear.  In any event, there are ways 
around this problem.  If it is a grand, just think, first of all, what you 
have to do to level keys in a grand.  You can't pull them out, place a 
punching, put it back in, then see if it's right or at least better, the way 
you can in a vertical.  You have to *estimate* the punchings needed, then 
take the stack off put them in, put the stack back on, then see what the 
results are, then repeat this process until you are satisfied.

So, Patrick Draine's idea was excellent.  If you are going to need to turn 
each capstan by a large amount, say, a full turn, the best thing to do is to 
just take the stack off and do that, then see where you are from there.  

The suggestion of an offset tool is a possibility but whether or not, try 
this:  When you have the key fully depressed, can you reach the capstan?  If 
you can and you have got a good rough hammer line job done, when you see a 
hammer that needs to be raised or lowered, press the key down, (or often, a 
gang of them down each time so you don't have interference from neighboring 
parts), then reach for the capstan and give it a crank in the direction 
needed.  It can take a few tries to get it right as opposed to adjusting it 
when at rest but it can be done.  This is where knowing how much a crank of 
the capstan screw will change the position is important:  knowing how to make 
a good *estimate*.

You can use the depressed key technique in any case where depressing the key 
makes the capstan more accessible.  In verticals, I take the key out, make 
the rough adjustment, then sometimes make the fine adjustments with the 
depressed key technique.

Let us know what you come up with.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin

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