<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">  <title>Light fixtures</title> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PostalCode"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style>  </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> Hammers don’t last forever.  Even if the piano has not been played to the point where there are deep grooves or a flat striking surface the tension in the hammer eventually dissipates and the fibers get old and crunchy.  At that point (or before) the hammers are toast and need to be replaced.  When you stick your needles in and just feel and hear a “crunch” stop, save your time and energy.  If the customer can’t afford new hammers, sympathize but don’t expect nor promise results that just aren’t possible.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> dave <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> David M. Porritt<o:p></o:p> <a href="mailto:dporritt@smu.edu">dporritt@smu.edu</a><o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of David Ilvedson Sent: Monday, September 18, 2006 11:45 PM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: Re: Controlling steam hammer treatment<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> I come across the same thing...old Steinway hammers that won't be budged.   What's with those hammers?  David Ilvedson, RPT <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Pacifica</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">CA</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">94044</st1:PostalCode></st1:place> <o:p></o:p> <div style='border:none;border-left:solid black 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt'> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center> </div> Original message From: KeyKat88@aol.com To: pianotech@ptg.org Received: 9/18/2006 4:45:20 PM Subject: Re: Controlling steam hammer treatment<o:p></o:p> <div> Greetings, <o:p></o:p> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div>          That looks like a great method I am going to try it. It works with new hammers, does it work with very old hammers that are hard? Today I had a job to soften the tone of this ca,1920's piano's hammers. No matter how much I needled the things they were like stale dry pieces of bread.. o...r... ancient marshmellows of antiquity..... I even shallow needled the "forbidden" strike zone (oooOOO NO,, MR BILL.. DONT....oo...oooo  O NOoooooo!}  (thats what I say to myself when  I have to needle the crown...even if its shallowly, I feel guilty) I almost couldn't do a dang thing with them. Well, the tone did get alittle softer. Carding and needling did improve the tone, but not as much as I had expected.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Julia<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Reading</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">PA</st1:State></st1:place><o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> In a message dated 9/18/2006 2:21:36 PM Eastern Standard Time, drjazzca@yahoo.ca writes:<o:p></o:p> </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'> Hello      Try this for a controlled focused use of steam.   1) Cut a very thin cloth into a strip approx.      18 inches long by 4 inches wide.   2) Wet cloth   3) Wring out cloth well so it is only damp wet,      not dripping wet.   4) Support the hammer section to be voiced with a        rail, and lay the damp cloth over the hammers.   5) Iron the hammers individually in the desired area with a hammer iron, or as a group with an iron.    I prefer individual ironing, as the tone and duration of the sizzle cues me to drive an equal amount of steam with each touch of the iron. This method allows focused application of steam to just the tip, or just the shoulder as desired.    I find steaming in this way is like sugar coating, getting rid of the "uglies", but fails to add anything. It removes content, not adding content to the tone. Deep needling of the shoulders can bolster lower partials, power, and sustain. I have found steam voicing very effective for quick results that are dramatic and pleasing on very hard hammers that seem to be prevalent among certain new piano brands as delivered. Quikly getting rid of some bite on these pianos is often good to my ear.                               Cheers                            David Renaud                            RPT                            <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region> -------------------------------------------- Greetings,    How do you control the steam stream while executing the steam hammer softening method? I would be concerned about having hammers unravelling off the core. Julia <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gottshall Reading</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">PA</st1:State></st1:place><o:p></o:p> </blockquote> </div> </div> </div> </body> </html>