M&H console/damper spoon problem

[David Ilvedson]

Bill Spurlock wrote and article in his Upright regulation series about
damper regulation.  

David I.

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 5/2/01 at 8:53 AM Tvak@AOL.COM wrote:

>We recently got a used Model 50 Mason & Hamlin console in the store, and
>it 
>was my job to regulate and prep it for sale.  I found the action to play 
>quite heavily, and so I polished the capstans, sprayed the key pins with 
>teflon spray, used CLP on the action centers but found little or no 
>improvement.  Next I checked the dampers and found that they lifted almost

>immediately when the key was depressed. (The impact of early lifting
>dampers 
>on touchweight is, BTW, something I learned about here on the list---thank

>you!)  
>
>So, never having regulated damper spoons, I went to the technician in
>charge. 
> He agreed with the diagnosis and attempted to regulate a damper spoon
>when 
>we found that this vertical piano had a sostenuto!  We removed the
>sostenuto 
>rod to gain better access to the spoons but unfortunately each damper
>lever 
>has a wire which extends downward denying us access to the spoon.  Further

>complicating it is the fact that there is a sticker below the wippen.  
>
>He was stumped.  So I suggested soliciting help from the list.
>
>Is there a way to regulate the damper spoons with the action out of the 
>piano?  (We tried this and failed miserably.) Any other suggestions?  
>
>Any help greatly appreciated.
>
>Tom S.
>Chicago PTG Associate