[pianotech] but will it split

[Gene Nelson]

Re: [pianotech] but will it splitMust take care then if also trying to reposition the tray to conform to the magic line from balance rail pin through lever/capstan interface and lever center. On the few Steinways I have done this way it will usually reposition the tray lower in the cavity. 
Gene

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David Love 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 10:01 AM
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] but will it split


  This certainly will work but you want to be cautious on certain pianos (Steinway included) as lowering the effective bottom of the tray can cause contact between the dags and the new tray bottom.  I have used square shoulder capstans that are 11/16" and are pictured on the post I sent previously.  These have a small enough area below the head to allow you to snug it down without taking excess material off the tray itself and the make for easy adjusting with a capstan wrench.  Because of the short length you don't have to worry about the capstan extending through the modified tray  or extending the tray bottom downward.  As I mentioned earlier, a small hand held router (I have a Porter Cable) with a 3091 laminate trimmer base allows you to remove the material from the front of the tray to your desired depth and the base happens to index off the back of the Renner tray just about perfectly so you don't need to set up a jig or run it through a table saw (which also works).  

   

  David Love

  www.davidlovepianos.com

   

  From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of John Delacour
  Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 8:47 AM
  To: pianotech at ptg.org
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] but will it split

   

  At 17:05 -0800 25/12/08, Gene Nelson wrote:

   

    Thanks everyone for your replies.

    Dale, I purchased the capstans from Jurgen at Piano Frote Supply several months ago. I thought that the conversion would be simple - locate and drill holes and start adjusting - wrong.

    Capstans are one inch long and require some sort of relief cut on the tray or counter sink for the upper shoulder of the capstan or trimming the bottom threads off or similar.

    I say this only because of the way it appears to fit based on the hight of the underlever felt on the tray - thought that getting the top of the capstan at the same hight as the felt would be a good place to start.

    As with any conversion/modification, it will take a bit more thought than I thought.

   

  Here's what I'd do, here's what I _have_ done indeed very roughly, illustrated below, and you can use either the capstans you've got from Jurgen, as illustrated here, or plain grand key capstans.  The advantage of the ones you have is that you can use a softer wood for the L-rail.  The hexagon heads are useful only for turning in the screws, since there's no room for spanners, no matter how thin-walled,given the spacing of the dampers.  There is a better screw without the hex head still illustrated in many catalogues, but last time I ordered them, these are what I got.  Here I've used a bit of tulipwood.

   

  Saw or plane off 3/4" or so from the lift rail and make up the L-rail to glue or screw at the front. This can be made up in two pieces if you like.

   

  The damper bodies here are full width, so there is no question of the glue sticking.  With thin bodies like the Steinway I'd make the cloth pieces slightly wider than the wood so as to give a fillet of glue on each side for greater security.  Good hot thickish animal glue, of course.

   

  All the European versions of this addition I've seen have the adjusting screw turned into the body, but that's not possible with the half-width bodies as on Steinways -- anyway the rail is better, since you're putting no strain on the centres.

   

  JD

   

   



   



   

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