<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: MS Sans Serif"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2873" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>Had the same problem on a grand a month ago. Turned out it was the top of the front rail key pin catching on the inside of the key when fully depressed. Probably the front rail punchings had compressed and the key was travelling slightly further than it should. I gouged out some wood from the key hollow with my trusty wire handle from the never used rubber wedge. That handle also doubles as a useful capstan adjuster.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>AF</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=tune4u@earthlink.net href="mailto:tune4u@earthlink.net">Alan Barnard</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, May 12, 2006 1:43 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Slow key mystery ....</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <P> <DIV>First visit, new customer, Baldwin Howard spinet.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Customer complains that F2 "sticks". Sure enough, it is very slow to return. Lift sticker off the key end and the action seems lively enough. No problem with keyslip. Look at back of key and, guess what, someone else tried to fix this key: It had a jiffy lead nailed to the back.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I removed the lead, so I could make a propper repair, for heaven's sake! I eased the key a bit and then it would return just as fast as its neighbors. Done ... or so I thought.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Tuned and was playing the piano when I noticed F2 "sticking". Further experiments revealed that it only happened when I depressed the sustain pedal. Hmmmm....</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Tried holding the damper off the string with a hook (no pedal pressed) and the slow return was still evident. Hmmmmm....</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I could not, offhand, think how the damper, damper arm or spring, would affect key return like this. I was out of time, running late actually, so I had to come up with something quick.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Simple. I nailed the jiffy lead back in place. Works great.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>All I can think is that maybe the felt is worn and the spoon is snagging on it, or something. And I do want to fix it properly next time.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Any ideas, oh wise and knowing List?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Alan Barnard</DIV> <DIV>Salem, Missouri</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <P></P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>