<html> <body> Dean, With the screw adjustable type of wippen, the string thing is only to get you in the ball park. IMO. Check each wippen and see how the jack lines up with the knuckle core. If you want to be REALLY sure no jack escapes prematurely, hold your hand on the hammer and give the key a "decent" blow. If the jack escapes, it's set too far forward. Avery Todd At 02:10 PM 12/11/2006, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Thanks for the reply, Bob, but I was speaking of adjusting the adjustable types. David was commenting on how crucial it is to get a good adjustment on the jack position for good regulation. I was hoping for a procedure that was more exact than a visual alignment on the section ends, draw a thread across the section, align the rest of the jacks to the thread.   <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Dean Dean May             cell 812.239.3359 PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Terre Haute IN  47802   <hr> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" eudora="autourl"> mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] On Behalf Of BobDavis88@aol.com Sent: Monday, December 11, 2006 12:57 PM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: Re: Steinway [non-adjustable jack] question In a message dated 12/11/2006 3:50:02 AM Pacific Standard Time, deanmay@pianorebuilders.com writes: <dl> <dd>Any tips, David? Do you just align visually, or do you use some other standard as well? It has always bothered me that after my visual alignment there sometimes is one that shows up kicking out prematurely. Makes me think there is likely others adjusted too far the other way. </dl>I'm not David, but I'll answer anyway. One old trick is to use toothpick ends inserted into the felt to expand it and cause the jack to be farther out. If it needs to be farther in, someone mentioned ironing or scalpel. I find the scalpel a little hard to protect in my particular tool kit, so I also like the X-acto knife. You can get a scalpel-like blade (which is separable from the handle for storage), and tease it behind a layer of the felt as you pull with tweezers.   The adjustable ones are certainly easier to get a fine adjustment on quickly, and with the action still in the piano - I'm glad they changed. They aren't theoretically perfect, because of the extra mass added to the jack and the uneven compression of the felt, but worth the tradeoff because they encourage more frequent adjustment.   Bob Davis</blockquote></body> </html>