Capstan angle

[V T]

Hello Ed,

This may very well be what they had in mind!

Vladan

Ed Foote wrote:

Greetings, 
   There seems to be one thing missing about the
angled capstan discussion, (or, I missed it!).    That
is, the angled capstan on the Steinways compensates
for wear in the action.  As the hammers age and are
filed, as the parts dry out, as the pinning gets
looser, capstan felts and knuckles pack down, etc. ,
the capstan is continually unscrewed to take all this
slack up.  As the angled capstan is screwed out, it
changes the action geometry to a higher ratio, (or a
lower leverage, however you want to describe it).  
     The major change is to the moment arm of the
whippen flange pin to the capstan contact point,
rather than the actual key ratio.  In effect, the
angled 
capstan will keep the touch weight more nearly
constant thoughout the action's life than the straight
action.  This is a minor effect, but sensitivity is
composed of many minor things.  
   A straight up capstan doesn't change the action
geometry much at all, and the older action gets
lighter and lighter.  The angled capstan works to keep

this change at bay. 
Regards,

Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html

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