[pianotech] Kawai GS-50 damper tray

[Laura Olsen]

Hi Don,
Thank you so much for getting back to me with this advice.  I tightened the screws that hold the damper flange rail to the belly rail.  I'll have to tightened the screws on the wood pivot blocks. I didn't see the screws.  Now I know why.  I thought about the damper leaver lead weights, particularly since some notes rattle when the damper lever is dropped back on to the damper tray.  The relative humidity in the room was 25%.  I'll bet it's both the wood pivot blocks and some of the damper leaver lead weights.

OK.  I'm going back in.  (They don't call 'em Damn pers for nothin'!)

Laura

On Jan 30, 2012, at 6:01 PM, Don Mannino wrote:

> Laura,
> 
> I'm not clear what you mean by this: " I tightened the screws that hold the
> damper tray to the belly rail." 
> There are 2 aluminum rails, the damper flange rail and the damper tray
> itself.  The tray is mounted with wood pivot blocks that then are pinned to
> the flange rail.  The flange rails is screwed to the belly rail.
> 
> During dry weather, it is common for the wood damper tray blocks to become
> loose.  The screws that hold these to the tray are vertical, and are hidden.
> 
> They can be tightened with a right-angle screwdriver if you have just the
> right length Phillips style driver.  Otherwise you remove the sostenuto rod,
> raise the upstop rail all the way up, then remove the screws that hold the
> flange rail to the cross block / belly rail.  Once those are out, you can
> ease the whole damper system forward, tighten the screws, and ease it back.
> 
> Another source of rattles can be damper leaver lead weights.  You can
> squeeze them tight if you have the right kind of pliers to fit, or you can
> apply drops of C/A glue to the weights to lock them in.
> 
> Don Mannino RPT
> Director, Field Services
> Kawai America
> www.kawaius.com
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
> Of Laura Olsen
> Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 2:33 PM
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Subject: [pianotech] Kawai GS-50 damper tray
> 
> I found a problem I couldn't solve while I was at the piano and I thought:
> "I know, I'll use a "life line" and ask the experts!"  You are my "experts"
> so here goes:
> 
> It's a  Kawai GS-50 with a rattle in the damper tray when you release the
> sustain pedal.  When I lift and drop certain damper blocks I can kind of
> duplicate the rattle in the aluminum rail. 
> 
> I tightened the screws that hold the damper tray to the belly rail.  I
> checked damper under lever screws.  I tightened the screws in the damper
> blocks the hold the damper wires.  The tabs aren't hitting the sos. rod and
> the Sostenuto rod bracket screws are tight.   The damper under lever screws
> are tight.
> 
> What am I missing?
> 
> Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
> 
> Laura Olsen
> 
> 
>