bechstein

[Ric Brekne]

Hi David

Thanks for the FW's.  You got fairly high friction levels in the two 
bass notes, and of course that number 16  just plain wild. I suppose you 
checked and double checked your measurements. Then all of a sudden in 
the treble you have much lower friction levels and very high BW's.  Your 
BW is too high all around but especially in that low frictioned treble. 
All that can be dealt with in the course of installing new parts and 
regulating the thing once you've decided what you want to do about SW's 
/ FW's and your ratio.

With your 5.7 ratio, I'd say your ok with the basic strikeweight curve 
you have, but you could handle a notch or two up if you want.  Looks to 
me that you have problems typical of a piano with old parts, and some 
basic touchweight evening out to do. New hammers and shanks, rebushed 
keys with balance rail holes dressed up or renewed will help a good deal 
with the first bit. Appropriate FW's for your SW's, ratio, and desired 
BW will take care of the basics of your touchweight.  The rest is 
picking through and troubleshooting.

I generally approach these jobs pretty conservatively.  I rarely get 
into changing the ratio. Just pick an appropriate SW curve and more or 
less do the weighoff from a mathmatical perspective rather then the old 
<<lets get a 50 gram downweight>> bit.

Cheers
RicB


Bechstein E, #158555, 1966, Renner action...hammers not original but 
appear to be Renner   17 mm KC

N      U     D     BW     SW     KR     WW     KC        R   FW
16    24     56     40     10.7     .53     19.5     17mm    6.8   42,7
17    20     56     38     10.7     .52     20.4     17mm    5.6   33,1
40    42     55     48.5    9.4     .52     20.4     17mm    5.7   16,3
41    36     54     40       9.7     .51     19.9     17mm    5.8   19,1
64    36     54     45       7.2     .51     19.9     17mm    5.8   7,2
65    37     53     45       7.1     .51     19.8     17mm    6.1   8,2

Bob M. at Pianotek thinks I need heavier hammers on this 9ft piano.   
The piano is generally in a studio and rolled out to a stage/gym a few 
times a year.   I don't think I need a heavier hammer...
I mocked an Abel Standard hammer on key #33 with a stock weight of 9.1 
grams gave me, with a 3/8" lead=11.5 grams on the key, a downweight of 
about 50 and a 25 gram upweight.  The hammer was stock so it needs all 
the typical trimming which will lower it's weight and lower the 
downweight and upweight...a lower up weight is not good...

I