<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2963" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"
bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=role_document
face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>
<DIV> Hi Stephane</DIV>
<DIV> <EM><STRONG>Every body has there own take on this & ...I have
mine. I'll answer your queries one at a time</STRONG></EM></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Hello
John.<BR><BR>When boring hammers, should we favor strictly the string height
minus shank <BR>center height at the cost of no straight hammer height at rest
(reflecting </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV> <STRONG> <EM> I measure the string height &
subtract the center pin height from that & then substract 1mm
more & that is my bore distance. Which means the hammer shanks will
all over center a small amount. But that is the way so many actions are
set up & it is I believe for the following reason...</EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM> The idea is that maximum power is
achieved from the hammer at rest to the point of let off which occurs
before the hammer ever hits the string .Now Freeze frame.... the
shank is in the straight out position. Action The shank/hammer now travel
freely 1 or 2 mm past that point</EM></STRONG> <STRONG><EM>and hit the
string.</EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000
size=2>the not straight strike line height at strings) ?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000
size=2><STRONG><EM> Since the string planes on most pianos I work on are
not all the same height off the key bed, I favor boring the hammers to match the
curve of the string plane. This method allows for the shanks
from bass to treble to all be at the same position at let off & at rest. Yes
the hammer line ot tops of the hammers may travel up hill or down hill a
samll amount but the important thing is the action will have a very uniform
regulation end to end. Am I making any sense?</EM></STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000
size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000
size=2> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>Also, when gluing hammers on shanks, should we favor the hammer crowns
<BR>straight line at rest, at the cost of aural best position ?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><EM><STRONG> I Never do. I am giving a class on this subject at
the Calif. State convention. in Feb 2006 Called finding the strike
line/working with hammers. The way we bore our hammers will also have a huge
bearing on where the hammer strike lines are located.</STRONG></EM></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM> I find very few straight hammer strike line in the
treble are the optimal strike
point.</EM></STRONG></DIV><STRONG><EM></EM></STRONG>
<DIV><BR>In other words, how much should we care about aesthetics when doing
hammer <BR>work ?</DIV>
<DIV> <STRONG><EM> I know that a hammer job can be both beautiful
& tonally accurate even without straight strike lines in the treble which is
where all the futz factor comes into play. Usually when ahnging them by ear the
resulatant line will be horshoe type curve or slightly curving line or lines
that vary from the first treble to the top treble. </EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM> Hammer Boring ,plate casting variations &
erroneous original guide hammers can all contribute to a new set of hammers
failing to optimize the tonal potential of the piano. </EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM> Hope this helps</EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM> Regards </EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM> Dale Erwin</EM></STRONG><BR><BR>Best
regards.<BR><BR>Stéphane Collin.<BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>