getting punch(y)ings

[Dave Nereson]

----- Original Message -----
From: <Bigeartb@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2002 7:34 PM
Subject: Re: getting punch(y)ings


> Wilem:
> I bought a sponge in a glass container in order to keep my finger
damp....no
> licking. But while we're on this subject, some technicians evidently level
> the keys by cutting a "V" in the punchings so they can insert them without
> removing the keys. Do you know anything about this technique? Is is
> acceptable practice?
>
> Tommy Black
> Decatur, Ala.

    I'm not Wilem, but cutting a 'V', or just a radial cut straight across
one side of the punching, is for when you tip a grand action up on the edge
of the back rail -- then keys can be lifted up and punchings inserted from
underneath.  Kenzo Utsunomiya at Yamaha's Little Red Schoolhouse uses this
method.  He makes chalk marks first on the front rail telling him what size
punchings he needs to insert.  I will use it only for a few keys, to avoid
unscrewing the stack.  Otherwise, I think it's a big hassle.  You of course
have to remove the keystop rail for any method of key leveling.  But with
this method of standing the action up on its back edge,  you also have to
watch that the drop screws don't gouge the stretcher, and drape something
over it if they're going to.   With some grand actions, the keys extend back
farther than the back rail, so when you tip it up on edge, the keys want to
ride up on their pins, the action isn't in a stable position, and it's quite
difficult to lift keys and insert punchings.  It's difficult, no matter what
type of action.  If the key is over part of the keyframe (the slats that
span between the balance and front rails), it's just hell to get the
tweezers in there at the right angle and get the cut punching to go on to
the pin -- a 'V' does work better than just a plain cut, though.  You're
supposed to face right and let the action lean against your left hip,
leaving both hands free for manipulating keys and punchings.  But if you
have to do some keys way down in the first octave, you have to face left and
preferably be left-handed.   It can be done, with the right attitude, as
David Love describes.  The stick propping up the action sounds precarious to
me.  I would think the weight of the action would tip the bench over.  I
dunno -- to me it's much easier to take the
stack off and use the weights on the backchecks (unless it's just a few
keys).        --David Nereson, RPT, Denver
>