Touchweight and Front Weights

[Richard Brekne]

Farrell wrote:

> I am working through some Stanwood-type touchweight stuff on a Baldwin M action that I am rebuilding. I have never understood the "magic" of the Front Weight Maximums. I have heard from a number of sources that you definately want/must use these FW maximums. Others say you can go a little lower if you wish.

There is nothing magic about these, nor must you use them. The FW maximums included in the Touchweight design kit are nothing else then the result of matching a Ratio to a SW curve for a particular BW and WBW.

As to a justification for defining these resulting FW's as a "guide to maximums",  David Stanwood will have to speak for himself on that matter. As to the intertia question thats always central to this discussion, I am personally unaware of any study which can assert any optimal inertia factor. Most of those I have heard speak to the matter talk of their personal experience in justifying their reasons for FW
preferences. The same goes for SW levels and Ratio preferences IMHO.

Personally, I dont think much of this matters much. There is in my opinion no discussion about the value of the eveness one can achieve using the balance equation, and thats the << first and formost >> of it all. How one chooses to balance  FW, SW, and Ratio to accomplish any particular BW is your own affair.... within certain reasonable limits.

>
> It seems to me that the FW maximums are FWs for each note that have experientially been noted to be about the most FW you can have at that location on a keyboard and still have "good" performance. Therefore, greater than the FW maximums, you will most likely find yourself in trouble. Less than the FW maximums, and you can be OK as long as your action ratio and Strike Weights will compliment the reduced FW maximums.
>
> Is that reasonable? Or am I missing something major?

I think you have it correct. Perhaps thats why they are refered too only as a Guide to Maximum FW's

>
>
> Terry Farrell
>

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
UiB, Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html