<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=UTF-8 http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charse= t=utf-8"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff= f"> <DIV>In a message dated 1/18/2004 10:06:13 AM Pacific Standard Time, michael= @gambles.fsnet.co.uk writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>What is "bore distance" and how/where is<BR>it= measured? I can hazard a guess he's talking about the distance from the<BR>= nose of the hammer to the dead-centre of the shank bore...?</FONT></BLOCKQUO= TE> <DIV> <DIV>Yes. As a starting point, measure from the string plane to the keybed, = and subtract the distance from the hammer flange pin to the keybed. If the s= tring plane is parallel to the keybed, the bore distance makes up the differ= ence, and this would cause the hammer to strike at 90 degrees to the st= ring. However, as Ed also mentions, in Steinways, the string plane= is seldom parallel to the keybed, so adjustments must be made eit= her in the hammer rake, or the bore distance. Also, the distance from the st= ring plane to the keybed is usually a curve, ranging (in the plain wire= ) from something around 192-194 mm in the middle of the tenor (at least&nbsp= ;in the NY pianos), to 188-190 at the top. There's usually a 1-2 m= m difference from one end of the bass to the other.</DIV></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial><BR>Ed Foote also says: "I hang the end sectio= n hammers at 130 mm"<BR>Now for the second dumb question: 130mm from where t= o where? </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV> <DIV>Center of the hammer flange pin to the center of the hammer molding. Ed= says, "I find where C88 (hung at 130 mm) sounds best and lock down the <BR>= cheek plate". This works. I like to position the cheek plates at the mi= ddle of their travel, hang it at 130, and find how much I have to move = the action to get the best sound. Then I rehang the hammer, so I leave the m= aximum adjustability for the action. Same with several others in the top two= octaves. Below that, 130 works fine. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It's also important to use test hammers that are similar to the final w= eight and voicing. The ideal position changes with weight and resilience. Re= nner hammers will not position the same as NY hammers in the same piano, and= raw NY hammers will not position the same as doped ones.</DIV></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>There are a lot of dumb things going on in the= piano-tech business - one of<BR>the most glaring examples, in my opinion, i= s Steinway GLUING on the damper<BR>flanges to the Damper Flange Rail.</FONT>= </BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV> <DIV>Not the easiest to service, but not impossible, either. If the piano is= being strung, and the back action is not to be replaced, you can easily rem= ove the back action, break the glue joint of every other flange, repin as ne= cessary, and glue them back on. Then do the other half. It's easy to find th= e original position; they want to go back where they were. Use hide glue aga= in, of course.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>With the back action in the piano, it's harder but not impossible to kn= ock one out with a sharp rap, pin it, and glue it back in. You'll need some = kind of thingy to reach in and press down on the flange a few seconds until = it sets. If there are many, of course you'll want to take out the back actio= n. Since the dampers probably needed adjustment anyway, replace the felt whi= le it's out.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Bob Davis</DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>