K52 Damper Felts on an 1883 Model F

[Bill Ballard]

At 11:18 PM -0400 5/8/02, Bill Ballard wrote:
>Thanks, Terry.
>
>In the future, I'll make my own sets. But even then, I'll still be 
>facing the same two questions I now have. >#1) Just how short can 
>they be be (everything else be properly prepared) and still provide 
>prompt >damping in these tall uprights. The original was 1-5/8", new 
>new Steinway and Yamaha big verticals are >an inch longer. #2) Just 
>how far from a 50-50% centering on the damper block can these felts 
>stray >and not fall apart.

Well I did swing up by the local Steinway agency up the river.  Their 
K52 and my old F had nothing in common, including whether the damp 
and the hammer butt were offset (as in Pratt, read actions), or both 
on a double flange on a tubular rail frame (as in the 1883 F). But 
the felt set in the new K52 was definitely not the same style as what 
I had been shipped by NY Steinway. In fact it looked very much like 
Kawai felts, heads and levers. Impressive work.

I've decided that I will chop stuff off the top end of the bass 
dampers, to shorten their length. I'll also move the damper 
dowel/block's centering from 50% down from the top (balanced in the 
middle), to 25% or 33% down from the top. If the damper is properly 
seat to the string, there should be no wrenching and jostling which 
would need a centered damper block. I'm also making my own damper 
blocks (3/8" tropical hardwood dowel at the local hardware store). 
I've made them a standard size; whatever differences in distances 
between string plane and action rail there may be, can be met with 
varying thickness of a wooden (or back rail felt) platform/shoe 
between the block and the head.

So thanks every one for their suggestions, and I hope I've stirred up 
some interesting ideas.

Bill Ballard RPT
NH Chapter, P.T.G.

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