[pianotech] but will it split

David Love davidlovepianos at comcast.net
Thu Dec 25 11:16:36 PST 2008


Attached are a couple of blurry photos of the modification.  It may answer
the question of the other post on how to buffer the capstan from the damper
lever.  

Regulating the damper lift can happen one of two ways.  You first set the
timing for the key lift and then shim between the tray felt and the
underlever tray with small bits and strips of paper to get the pedal lift
uniform.  Since the shimming of the felt of one underlever tends to lift the
tray felt slightly of the adjacent damper until it settles again from
repeated impact, the regulation can be just slightly unstable.  Also, the
thickness of the tray felt is such that it will compact over time (much more
than the relatively thinner action cloth glued to the bottom of the
underlever) changing the regulation over time not only overall but because
the dampers are heavier in the bass than in the treble, the damper levers in
the bass will tend to settle more causing an earlier lift with the pedal.
In terms of speed and accuracy, a really refined damper timing using this
method requires a lot of different thicknesses and lengths of paper, ironing
tools, but most of all, time.     

The other method, taught by Steinway no less, is to set the key lift and
them smooth out the pedal timing by slightly loosening the set screw and
raising or lowering the damper lever.  The problem is that changes the key
lift timing. I suppose you could then go back and modify the key end felt
thickness but it seems like a lot more trouble than the capstan system
presents.  Also, this method won't do if there are changes in elevation
between the tray and the damper lever from bass end to treble end, or deal
with warping which sometimes can occur in the tray itself. 

Bottom line is that of course you can accomplish a regulation without the
capstan system but the capstan system sure makes it a lot easier, more
accurate and more stable.  The procedure for installation is simple and
making small adjustments later as the damper felt itself settles and
compacts is quick and easy.  



David -
Still in speculative mode, what would be the evidence / reasons for that
greater stability?

David Skolnik
Hastings on Hudson, NY



At 08:37 PM 12/24/2008, you wrote:
>Agreed.  Two issues really, the adjustment of damper timing from the 
>key doesn't involve the tray, of course, and should be consistent.  
>Adjusting, then, for the pedal lift just becomes so much easier, more 
>precise and more stable using the capstan system rather than shimming 
>tray felt.  The capstans are installed in the tray with no spoons 
>required.
>
>David Love
>www.davidlovepianos.com
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