<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)"> <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"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PersonName"/>  <style>  </style>  </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue> <div class=Section1> I am regulating right now an old upright action with new key tops, bushings, key pins, hammers, ecsaine on the hammer butts, etc. The hammers were bobbling and I couldn’t figure out why as there was adequate after touch. But on some notes it didn’t matter where I put the back check, it wouldn’t catch. It turned out to be multiple problems. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I hadn’t changed the bridle straps because they were fairly new. But the previous tech had glued in tapes with no cork into the catcher hole. He did it so the tape came out and was glued to the top of the hole. That position alone caused problems with interference with the catcher and it was compounded by the little bit of glue on the tape sticking out causing it to be a little stiffer. This little bit of stiffness was actually pushing the back check away. I think if the tape had come out the bottom of the hole the problem would have gone away. But no matter. I’m redoing them all, of course. I don’t understand why anyone going to the trouble of gluing on tapes wouldn’t go ahead and glue them to the underside of the catcher dowel instead of the hole. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The second problem I spotted was on some of the notes the felt on the front side of the jack was jamming against the felt on the back side of the bottom of the catcher hole. That second piece of felt had been replaced, no doubt by the previous tech, and it appears to be too large and too firm. I see no need to have it both pieces. There is no other rail in the way for the jack to contact. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sometimes it’s not just that the beast is old and worn, but you have to watch out for previous modifications. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> Dean<o:p></o:p> <u1:PERSONNAME u2:st="on">Dean May</u1:PERSONNAME>             cell 812.239.3359 <o:p></o:p> PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 <o:p></o:p> <u1:PLACE u2:st="on"><u1:CITY u2:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><u3:place u4:st="on"><u3:City u4:st="on">Terre Haute</st1:City></u3:place></u1:CITY></u3:City> <u1:STATE u2:st="on"><st1:State u5:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">IN</st1:State></u1:STATE></st1:State>  <u1:POSTALCODE u2:st="on"><st1:PostalCode u6:st="on"><st1:PostalCode w:st="on">47802</st1:PostalCode></u1:POSTALCODE></st1:PostalCode></st1:place></u1:PLACE><o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <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 Fenton Murray Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2008 9:29 PM To: David Nereson; <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Pianotech List</st1:PersonName> Subject: Re: OK next question: Tugging on ham. rail chek lost motion<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <div> Julia,<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Some tell tail signs of lost motion are an uneven key board ,bubbling hammers, dampers not lifting. Run your finger tips very lightly across the keys and watch the back checks, see if they move while the hammers stay put. Play the piano! you can fell it. It's all about correcting low performance in the action, not just a checking and adjusting for a certain specification. You're asking how to check for lost motion in this piano, I would ask, why do you suspect that there is lost motion? BTW, blindly setting hammer blow and lost motion to spec in an old, worn upright action can have a few consequences that you might not be happy with.....like no damper follow. You gotta compromise on the old beasts. Hang in there.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Fenton<o:p></o:p> </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'> <div> ----- Original Message ----- <o:p></o:p> </div> <div style='font-color:black'> From: <a href="mailto:dnereson@4dv.net" title="dnereson@4dv.net">David Nereson</a> <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title="pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</a> <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2008 1:45 PM<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Subject: Re: OK next question: Tugging on ham. rail chek lost motion<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <o:p> </o:p> </div> <div> You're not really checking lost motion, but, as you said in your first post, the lack thereof.  You can depress the damper pedal (so the returning wippens don't have any assist from damper lever springs), then depress ten keys at a time and let them up very slowly, looking to see if any jacks don't snap all the way under their hammer butts.  If they don't, turn the capstan down by quarter turns until the jack returns all the way when the key is let up slowly.  Otherwise, the visual "backcheck wink" method is as good as any -- very lightly tap on the keys and see if the backcheck just "winks" before the butt moves (watch the catcher).  Or, as someone else suggested, press on the tail end of the keys, mashing them into the back rail felt a little, and see if any hammers wink backwards.  If so, the jacks are holding them up off the rail a little.  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div>     --David Nereson, RPT<o:p></o:p> </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'> <div> ----- Original Message ----- <o:p></o:p> </div> <div style='font-color:black'> From: <a href="mailto:KeyKat88@aol.com" title="KeyKat88@aol.com">KeyKat88@aol.com</a> <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title="pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a> <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Sent: Friday, February 08, 2008 10:13 PM<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Subject: OK next question: Tugging on ham. rail chek lost motion<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <o:p> </o:p> </div> <div> Greetings,<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div>       Thank you for answers validating my method of checking lost motion. <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> NEXT question....Then how can I check lost motion when this one piano a customer has, has a brace which will not allow the rail to move with a backwards tug and I cant check the lost motion, Is there another way of checking it? I am guessing I have to go key to key and check it.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> THank you<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> <o:p></o:p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-top:7.5pt;text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center> </div> Who's never won? <a href="http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCID=aolcmp00300000002548" target="_blank" title="http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCID=aolcmp00300000002548">Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL Music.</a><o:p></o:p> </div> </blockquote> </blockquote> </div> </body> </html>