Damper Tray Problem/missing spring?

[Gene Nelson]

I think that you may be correct about the broken or missing spring. Most trays have a return spring of some sort. If it was a coil on the tray it may be hiding in there somewhere.
Did the dampers work ok before the rebuild process?
Gene




----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tom Sivak 
  To: Pianotech List 
  Sent: Sunday, August 06, 2006 5:46 AM
  Subject: Damper Tray Problem/missing spring?


  No, on second thought there are no damper springs.  I would have noticed them when putting the damper wires in.  That ain't it.

  I've got limited time to get this fixed.  Let me try again.

  Mason AA, total rebuild, now in the process of regulating.  Damper tray won't stay down, in contact with pitman, but hangs in the air, actually holding the dampers up off the strings.  I can push the tray down till it contacts the pitman and there seems to be very little resistance when doing so, but it pops back up again, almost like being on a spring.  

  Maybe is there a spring missing that I don't know about?  Should there be a spring that holds the tray in the downward position that perhaps has come off sometime during the restringing, etc.?   

  My knowledge of damper actions is limited, so forgive my maive question.  Not sure how to solve this problem, and it's a big one.  Piano is unplayable with many strings ringing on.  (All the dampers dampen perfectly if I simply hold the tray down and allow them to rest on the strings like they should.)

  Help, please!

  Tom Sivak

  A440A at aol.com wrote:

    << Wha'ts up with this? I can't imagine that there actually IS a spring in 
    there, holding the tray up. If anything, I would expect there to be a spring 
    holding the tray DOWN, allowing it to be lifted by the pedal, and then return 
    downward with the aid of a spring. >>

    Greetings, 
    this is a common problem where there are damper springs in place. If 
    an axis is shared by the underlever pinning and the tray pivots, any underlever 
    springs will try to rotate the tray upwards. 
    Are there damper lever springs on this assembly? 



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



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