Key Leads and Inertia

[David C. Stanwood]

>One factor that does have a serious impact on all of this is the mass of
>the dampers...

>Stephen,

Hi ya'll,

Here... have a can of damper worms...

http://www.stanwoodpiano.com/Dwtptech.jpg

This graph shows data points for five different pianos showing the total of
the damper lever tipped onto a scale added to the weight of the damper head
and wire.  As always the two issues are note to note consistency and level.
 These five examples are for pianos without damper lever springs.  Lots to
understand and improve with damper weights...  Is it worth it?  If the
piano is dismantled it doesn't take much time to smooth things out.  At the
very least.  As for the level.... need more data and experience before I'll
comment... I'll have volumes of data in a few years so you can look forward
to more studies....

Is there something that pianists like about inconsistency in static weight
and the proportional dynamic force needed to push it?   Should we be
building in static weight inconsistency?   Personally I don't see an
advantage.  I have this compulsion that whenever I identify something in
the action that has weight that the pianist is moving, I want to smooth it
out....  It's a question of how much is overkill.  In engineering it's
called specification and tolerance.  I think pianos need a little more
engineering when it comes to weight and leverage characteristics.  Pianist
notice and appreciate (and pay for) the difference.

David Stanwood