Steinway [non-adjustable jack] question

[Dean May]

Thanks for the reply, Bob, but I was speaking of adjusting the adjustable
types. David was commenting on how crucial it is to get a good adjustment on
the jack position for good regulation. I was hoping for a procedure that was
more exact than a visual alignment on the section ends, draw a thread across
the section, align the rest of the jacks to the thread. 
 

Dean

Dean May             cell 812.239.3359 

PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 

Terre Haute IN  47802

 

  _____  

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of BobDavis88 at aol.com
Sent: Monday, December 11, 2006 12:57 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: Steinway [non-adjustable jack] question


In a message dated 12/11/2006 3:50:02 AM Pacific Standard Time,
deanmay at pianorebuilders.com writes:

Any tips, David? Do you just align visually, or do you use some other
standard as well? It has always bothered me that after my visual alignment
there sometimes is one that shows up kicking out prematurely. Makes me think
there is likely others adjusted too far the other way. 

I'm not David, but I'll answer anyway. One old trick is to use toothpick
ends inserted into the felt to expand it and cause the jack to be farther
out. If it needs to be farther in, someone mentioned ironing or scalpel. I
find the scalpel a little hard to protect in my particular tool kit, so I
also like the X-acto knife. You can get a scalpel-like blade (which is
separable from the handle for storage), and tease it behind a layer of the
felt as you pull with tweezers. 
 
The adjustable ones are certainly easier to get a fine adjustment on
quickly, and with the action still in the piano - I'm glad they changed.
They aren't theoretically perfect, because of the extra mass added to the
jack and the uneven compression of the felt, but worth the tradeoff because
they encourage more frequent adjustment.
 
Bob Davis
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