<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD><META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"></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> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Hi Jon</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Nice work.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  I have been doing something similar and a bit simpler) but along the same lines. (I'm simple).</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM> I've been making and selling  tool called the Action Ratio gauge. Picture shown below.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>    <IMG SRC="cid:X.MA1.1202184645@aol.com" style="WIDTH: 480px; HEIGHT: 360px" height=360 width=480 vspace=5 comp_state="speed" DATASIZE="41803" ID="MA1.1202184645" >  </EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  A 6  mm foot is mounted to the bottom of the weighted wooden block. The chart on the back is used to instantly crunch the numbers you get when using it. </EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM></EM></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  How it works</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Simply set the Action ratio gauge on the keys, which should be close to level. Then using a metric depth gauge I measure the hammer rise above the neighboring hammer.  Take the distance & divide by 6 & voila.... a very close action  ratio.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>   IE if the hammer rises 34 mm higher than it's neighbor, divide that by 6 (the thickness of the foot)this equals a 5.67 ratio on the chart. Not bad.  I can work with this. </EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  High numbers, say 6 & above, will always require a long 48 mm hammer travel & a shallow dip.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM> I.E. Baldwin's.In this case  I know I've got work to do</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM> Something in the 5.5 ratio range will usually be a 46 mm hammer travel & .390 dip.  (Steinways/others) </EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Measuring the sharps is done in the same way & the ratio will always be slightly different due to the key balance point & shorter leverage.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  The beauty of this gauge is that a tech can easily & quickly assess action problems in front of clients eyes in minutes & can inform them why the action is heavy/ light etc & the appropriate remedy. </EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>   I use the ratio information to determine which action parts I will choose when rebuilding. </EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  The Action ratio can be can be modified to improve function in essentially 3 ways.  Change the knuckle placement, move the capstan or ( These are the most common fixes) the key balance point can be relocated if replacing the keyset.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Any numbers close to a 7 to will require new keys to truly make the action work. AMHIK.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  High numbers equal short dip Long hammer travel.  Low numbers the opposite.  High numbers (5.8 to 7 or more) require light hammers & lots of key lead to balance the action.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>   Ok now the real beauty is this. Low numbers (5 to 5.6sih) can tolerate more hammer weight & some lead can be unloaded from the key thereby reducing inertia. All pianist love this</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  On another note the first thing I usually do is look at the leading.  If there are lots of lead.  I already know the regulation & leading will be in a place I wont' like</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  I'm not a number cruncher so I needed this to be easier for me. </EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Regards</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>   Dale Erwin</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  </EM></STRONG><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><FONT face=Arial size=2>John writes</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><FONT face=Arial size=2> Hello List,</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'm writing an article about regulating pianos when you don't have specifications.  I'll paste in the simple nuts and bolts of it below.  I'd appreciate your feedback.  I know there are some setup caveats and pitfalls, and some other considerations, but rather than lay all of them out, I thought I'd wait and hear from you guys about what you see as strong points, weak points, yeah buts, and any other considerations.</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><IMG SRC="cid:X.MA2.1202184645@aol.com" style="WIDTH: 480px; HEIGHT: 360px" height=360 width=480 vspace=5 comp_state="speed" DATASIZE="41803" ID="MA2.1202184645" ></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT lang=0 face="Book Antiqua" size=2 FAMILY="SERIF" PTSIZE="10"><B><I></I>Dale Erwin--Piano Restorations<BR>4721 Parker rd<BR>Modesto, Ca. 95357<BR>Shop 209-577-8397<BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 face="Abadi MT Condensed" color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"></FONT><FONT lang=0 face="Abadi MT Condensed" color=#000000 size=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="12">Web site <A href="http://www.erwinspiano.com/">http://www.Erwinspiano.com</A></FONT><FONT lang=0 face="Abadi MT Condensed" color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"> </FONT><FONT lang=0 face="Book Antiqua" color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SERIF" PTSIZE="10"><I><BR>Restoration & Sales of<BR>Steinway & Sons & other fine pianos.<BR>" Soundboards by Design"</I><BR></B></FONT></DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">Who's never won? <A title="http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCID=aolcmp00300000002548" href="http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCID=aolcmp00300000002548" target="_blank">Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL Music.</A></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>