needling technique

[jason kanter]

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Excellent feedback. That you Andre and Ric and David.
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: antares=20
  To: Pianotech=20
  Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2004 8:33 AM
  Subject: Re: needling technique


  To Jason and list,

  It is like Richard Brekne said :=20
  "In a reasonably pressed hammer, the appropriate amount of shoulder =
needling releases some of the inner tension directionally towards the =
top (crown) of the hammer adding to its resiliancy and power".
  I think to have a clear image we must try to follow the felting =
procedure :
  A big slab of stone hard felt is pressed around a rather thin wooden =
molding. Enormous pressure is needed to fold the felt around it.
  If you don't glue the felt and release it from the caul, it will =
immediately jump back to its former flat position.
  If you glue the felt and cut the hammer sideways in the crown, the =
felt will jump open in two halves which both will point to a side of the =
hammer.
  It means that the tension build up is not sideways but towards both =
crown and basis of the hammer.
  We must also keep in mind that hammer felt consists of many layers =
lying on top of each other.
  The fibers of these layers interconnect (the fulling process) but =
nevertheless, they remain layers.
  The Wurzen factory used to have a trademark in the form of a thin =
layer of darker wool. A hammer, felted with this wool will show a very =
thin stripe going up and down around the molding. It clearly shows just =
one layer.

  Sticking a needle in from the side (as described by Mr Ari Isaac) will =
puncture just a fraction of the layered hammer and if you stick it all =
the way through you damage one layer for ever.
  Sticking your needles in not from the side but into the front and back =
of the hammer will puncture many layers at the same time but not damage =
them completely as you do from the side.
  This old and much used method, the voicing method with needles, is =
also at its most economic when we use three needles at the same time and =
make a zig zag movement like a sewing machine, thereby using the =
available small needling space in a safer and more economical way.
  Banging your needles in with reasonable speed and force will have a =
long lasting effect and that's how it should be.
  And indeed, needling from the side requires you to actually take out =
each hammer and put it on a bench because you will otherwise easily =
damage the shank or the center pin.
  It is not my method in any case and there is also no factory on Earth =
using the sideway needling technique.

  Andr=E9 Oorebeek



  On 20-apr-04, at 14:15, Corte Swearingen wrote:

    Jason,

    I tried this technique on my own Yamaha U1 and, I have to say, I =
didn't
    notice much difference. Maybe I should have been using a slightly =
thicker
    needle. The downside to this technique is that you really have to be
    careful so as to not exert to much pressure sideways on the =
hammer/shank
    assembly. It's not as easy as it sounds.

    Corte Swearingen
    Chicago



    "jason kanter"=20
    <jkanter@rollingb To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>=20
    all.com> cc:=20
    Sent by: Subject: abel needling technique=20
    pianotech-bounces=20
    @ptg.org=20


    04/19/2004 11:39=20
    PM=20
    Please respond to=20
    Pianotech=20






    Last year I came across a Web article describing Abel's method of =
needling
    hammers. Can someone describe the technique? I can't find it. It =
involves
    needling into, or through, the hammer from the side instead of in =
from the
    shoulders and crown. What do you folks think about this method?

    Jason


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  friendly greetings=20
  from
  Andr=E9 Oorebeek

  Amsterdam -
  The Netherlands

  0031-20-6237357
  0645-492389
  0031-75-6226878
  www.concertpianoservice.nl
  www.grandpiano.nl

  "where music is, no harm can be"

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