Lost motion: (was puzzler on M & H BB

David Andersen david at davidandersenpianos.com
Mon Sep 25 16:27:12 MDT 2006



Interesting thread....I've maintained for some time that the  
regulation of the jack-to-knuckle contact at rest is much more touch- 
important than I ever realized, and the more precision with which you  
can perceive what Ed Foote describes exactly----"We were taught at  
North Bennett to set the balancier so that we could feel the jack  
scraping, ever so slightly, across the leather of the knuckle when  
the hammer was at rest...."---the better that action's gonna feel.

Allow your fingers, your body, to be super-sensitive. The goal is to  
just feel the scraping, and to witness a very slight movement of the  
hammer.

Get more sensitive to your body, and your growth as a craftsman will  
accelerate rapidly. The more attuned you are to the feelings in your  
hands, your ears, your chest while you work, the more present you  
become, and the better technician you become; the more money and  
respect you get.

Slam dunk.

David Andersen


On Sep 25, 2006, at 2:39 PM, David Ilvedson wrote:

> That's the way I was taught but Yamaha teaches another way which  
> I'm using.   Lay a piece of paper on a table and run you finger  
> against the edge.    That is the feel you are looking for between  
> the jack and the rep window.    In other words a hair below  
> level.   I have no problem with hammer lever with that method.    
> Obviously you have to have adequate rep tension.    When using the  
> "scrapping" method the jack does need to be able to get back to  
> rest....imho
>
> David Ilvedson, RPT
> Pacifica, CA  94044
>
>
>> Grand piano actions work wonderfully with no lost motion at all.   
>> If there is any lost motion, there will
>> never be a straight hammer line as well as accelerated wear of the  
>> knuckle
>> from the impact of the jack hitting it rather than pushing it to  
>> start.
>>    We were taught at North Bennett to set the balancier so that we  
>> could
>> feel the jack scraping, ever so slightly, across the leather of  
>> the knuckle when
>> the hammer was at rest, and I have never had a problem with this  
>> causing loss
>> of repetition.
>> Regards,
>>
>> Ed Foote RPT
>>
>>



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