S&S replacing Hammer Assemblies with new

[BobDavis88@aol.com]

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In a message dated 1/18/2004 10:06:13 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
michael@gambles.fsnet.co.uk writes:
What is "bore distance" and how/where is
it measured? I can hazard a guess he's talking about the distance from the
nose of the hammer to the dead-centre of the shank bore...?
Yes. As a starting point, measure from the string plane to the keybed, and 
subtract the distance from the hammer flange pin to the keybed. If the string 
plane is parallel to the keybed, the bore distance makes up the difference, and 
this would cause the hammer to strike at 90 degrees to the string. However, as 
Ed also mentions, in Steinways, the string plane is seldom parallel to the 
keybed, so adjustments must be made either in the hammer rake, or the bore 
distance. Also, the distance from the string plane to the keybed is usually a 
curve, ranging (in the plain wire) from something around 192-194 mm in the middle 
of the tenor (at least in the NY pianos), to 188-190 at the top. There's 
usually a 1-2 mm difference from one end of the bass to the other.

Ed Foote also says: "I hang the end section hammers at 130 mm"
Now for the second dumb question: 130mm from where to where? 
Center of the hammer flange pin to the center of the hammer molding. Ed says, 
"I find where C88 (hung at 130 mm) sounds best and lock down the 
cheek plate". This works. I like to position the cheek plates at the middle 
of their travel, hang it at 130, and find how much I have to move the action to 
get the best sound. Then I rehang the hammer, so I leave the maximum 
adjustability for the action. Same with several others in the top two octaves. Below 
that, 130 works fine. 

It's also important to use test hammers that are similar to the final weight 
and voicing. The ideal position changes with weight and resilience. Renner 
hammers will not position the same as NY hammers in the same piano, and raw NY 
hammers will not position the same as doped ones.
There are a lot of dumb things going on in the piano-tech business - one of
the most glaring examples, in my opinion, is Steinway GLUING on the damper
flanges to the Damper Flange Rail.
Not the easiest to service, but not impossible, either. If the piano is being 
strung, and the back action is not to be replaced, you can easily remove the 
back action, break the glue joint of every other flange, repin as necessary, 
and glue them back on. Then do the other half. It's easy to find the original 
position; they want to go back where they were. Use hide glue again, of course.

With the back action in the piano, it's harder but not impossible to knock 
one out with a sharp rap, pin it, and glue it back in. You'll need some kind of 
thingy to reach in and press down on the flange a few seconds until it sets. 
If there are many, of course you'll want to take out the back action. Since the 
dampers probably needed adjustment anyway, replace the felt while it's out.

Bob Davis

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