Ric wrote: After all.. the spring tension is not actually increased. Seems to me it is. If you increase the resistance of the pinning, you must also increase the spring tension to overcome this resistance for a given hammer lift. Dean Dean May cell 812.239.3359 PianoRebuilders.com 812.235.5272 Terre Haute IN 47802 -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Richard Brekne Sent: Friday, June 22, 2007 4:22 AM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: Keep on filing...(picture attached) I agree with this view, but I have to admit I have never actually checked to see whether or not increased rep center pin friction directs more of the springs strength towards jack return. It may end up being that if actually measured it does not. After all.. the spring tension is not actually increased. One could easily think along the lines that the spring must use more of its strength to overcome the increased friction... and thats it. Might be fun to actually check this out. Could be done with strain measuring devices placed on both levers I would think. My main point however goes to this idea about that surfaces from time to time about the rep spring/levers' relationship to key return speed. This is a by product of the device and not its purpose, tho some will have it otherwise. It is true that the rep spring does execute a force downwards as well as upwards...increasing key return speed in the same proportion to increase in spring strength that this same increases hammer lift. But the purpose of the mechanism is to reset the action into firing position at the earliest possible moment so that the key need not travel full return in order to be replayed. Too strong a spring effect creates uncomfortable touch and ill seeming noises among other things. Cheers RicB David Love comments : Pinning the rep lever tighter allows for speedier jack return as well as more positive hammer rise since the spring doesn't need to be set so close to the fail point. Most of the benefit, in my view, comes from the speedier jack return and thus faster repetition. David Love davidlovepianos at comcast.net www.davidlovepianos.com Ric B writes in response to David Porritt below I dont think I understand the logic behind this claim. Whatever friction there is at the lever pin simply restricts the amount of movement of the lever for same spring strength. I suppose more of the springs energy might be directed to jack return... not really sure about this either when it comes to it. The rep lever springs upwards and downwards with equal strength regardless of the tightness of the pinning. The only thing that can change the relative pressure between up and down would be a repositioning of the pin... i.e. changing its leverage moment. I would suspect, that 8-10 grams works well because it fits well with the multi-tasking between the rep spring and other related parts... ie jack return, hammer lift, appropriate friction levels for centers belonging to these...etc. Cheers RicB Pinning the repetition lever to 8 grams restricts the jumpiness of the hammer on key release and directs more of the spring's energy into returning the key. When I'm doing a very careful regulation of a performance piano (where "it's so even" is the compliment I want to hear) I use an 8-gram weight I have that has a hole in the middle. If I put that weight on the screw that regulates the rep. lever's height (the short end of the rep. lever) I want the pinning tight enough that it holds the weight. When I place it on the drop screw pad (the longer end of the rep. lever) I want the lever to gently fall. dp
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