Loose damper lever weights

[Z! Reinhardt]

Here's a tool you can make for this job.  (Sorry, I don't know who
originated this tool, but the first time I saw this was in RPT Dan Harteau's
toolkit.)

Start with a pair of key-easing pliers (Renner #1616, "keyboard squeezing
pliers") with the upturned jaws that move parallel to each other.  Drill and
tap a hole in each jaw for a common machine thread of your choice (8-24, or
metric).  Insert set screws into these holes with the points facing each
other, and protuding beyond the inside faces of the jaws.  Now you can grab
the lead weights and squeeze without having to remove the damper
underlevers.

It is possible to use ordinary round- or pan-headed machine screws cut to
size, but sometimes the heads are just a little too thick to fit between the
underlevers.

What used to be a long job laced with plenty of cusswords now takes as
little as 15 minutes, if that.  It is now possible to "squeeze in"  any/all
loose damper leads along with any other last-minute emergencies that have a
habit of turning up just as time for the service call is running out.

Z! Reinhardt  RPT
Ann Arbor  MI
diskladame@provide.net


----- Original Message -----
From: "Clyde Hollinger" <cedel@supernet.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, October 19, 2001 6:52 AM
Subject: Loose damper lever weights


Friends,

I ran into a problem this week that I haven't encountered before.  The
piano is a 1988 Wurlitzer grand model G-552.  In the process of tuning I
noticed that for three keys two dampers would lift at the same time.  I
pulled the action out, and the lead (?) weights closest to the keyboard
were loose in those three damper levers and had fallen against their
next-door neighbors, which caused the problem.

What is the most efficient fix?  There has been some discussion of
pliers recently, and at first I thought maybe it was about this exact
problem, but I think there's not enough room to get a pliers in there.

What I will do unless someone has a better idea:  Remove the sostenuto
rod, then for each problem key loosen the damper wire and pull it out,
remove the damper lever assembly and glue in the weight, then
replace/regulate as needed.  I'm not eager to do this, since getting the
flange screw back in has been a source of frustration for me in the
past, but I can do it if that's the best way.

Help?  Comments?

Regards,
Clyde Hollinger