Something other than lead? was Re: Stephen...Two Remedies to correct alight action

[Steve Blasyak]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: 
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: 12/1/2006 9:34:40 AM 
Subject: Something other than lead? was Re: Stephen...Two Remedies to correct alight action


One thing that I'm quite pleased with in the new Kawai pianos is the use of stainless steel for weighting keys.  I'm hoping that there will be an aftermarket version of something similar available soon.  Lead is nasty stuff.  It would be a good solution if longterm exposure to it wasn't hazardous.

I did some damper timing changes in the other direction on a grand piano awhile back and was taken to task on this list...  Ya live and ya learn, hopefully.  I set the keys to lift the dampers later in order to change the perception of the touchweight.  Worked okay, but for many reasons, it's not an ideal solution.  As many said at that time, there is "fudge factor" room, but drastic alterations aren't generally recommended.

Dave Stahl




-----Original Message-----
From: ricb at pianostemmer.no
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Fri, 1 Dec 2006 8:30 AM
Subject: Stephen...Two Remedies to correct a light action


Hello Steve.  
To begin with, there are no good bypasses to decent piano work. As Julia learned from her early experiences with school... taping nuts and bolts to action parts isnt really a good idea. 
 
But upright actions that are too light. Assuming you have a beautiful regulation and indeed need to change the touchweight, it is actually quite easy and fast to simply re weigh-off the keys. 

> Could you please explain weighing off the keys to me. I've heard of weighing off hammers. Not sure of the difference. As I'm sure you can tell I don't rebuild pianos but am very interested in some of the discussions going on regarding this topic.

If thats too much work for you, and you need something quicker you can screw lead weights made for this express purpose between the capstan and balance rail pin. I'm not a particular fan of these... but at least they work reasonably well and are fully reversible... if reversibility is what you want. If you are looking for some kind of a clip-on solution for diagnostics like Stanwood suggests for grand hammer shanks, then you can use appropriate sized shot lead pinched tightly onto the base of the backcheck wire. Clip-on solutions are not IMHO a good idea to use as more then very temporary use. 


 > Thanks... I' ve seen those screw on leads between the balance rail and capstan, although I've never installed them personally. I can't see any harm in trying them as a cheap and quick remedy. If the customer does not like the result it is not too hard to remove. I agree taping nuts and bolts does not seem like a good idea to me.

The reason I've asked for simple solutions is I have a piano teacher that I work for, and just about every piano he sits at he feels the action is too light. Especially uprights. When I check the down weight with my cheap set of weights (I'm not a re-builder) I explain that it is in the acceptable range usually about 50 to 52 grams of down weight and further if you make it too heavy (beyond 60) the action would be difficult to regulate.  I have heard of and seen various ways of adding weight to grand hammer shanks. It is my understanding that 1 gram on the hammer/shank will add 5 grams to the down weight.


Regulation tricks should be well discussed by now, as is just how much one can accomplish that way. Too light a weight on the capstan cant really be changed any other way then by either decreasing the keys front weight or adding weight to the top action itself somewhere. Pretty much just like in a grand. 
 
Cheers 
RicB 
 
  Hey Now, 
 
  So tell us Ric... what are the quick easy ways to correct an action 
  (upright), that is too light. 
 
  Thanks in advance for any suggestions. 
 
  Steve 
 



Check out the new AOL. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20061201/2ba7977d/attachment.html