<!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 6.00.6001.18099" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Gosh, John, thanks for the detail.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>So, do you have little marked bottles of solution all lined up in a row?  Duh, I hadn't thought of the different solutions...I usually just go for repinning because I know what my results are going to be and I have a pretty good idea of how long it will take.  But it would make sense, I guess, to give the water/alcohol sizing another try.  I haven't worked on many pianos where sizing was an option.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The key bushings I checked seemed OK, but I had thought of using VS Profelt to see how "perfect" the sizing could get with that method and compare it to my usual ironing-in Teflon procedure.  Thanks for mentioning the half-punching trick.  I've used it several times on grands, but never on an upright.  I'll keep that in mind if it still feels heavy.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Best,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Barbara Richmond, RPT</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>still a learner, too, near Peoria, Illinois</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=formsma@gmail.com href="mailto:formsma@gmail.com">John Formsma</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, October 03, 2008 10:46 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: repinning a Baldwin Hamilton</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><BR> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr> <DIV class=gmail_quote> <DIV>Barbara,</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>I recently did this very job on a 1997 Hamilton (or 243?). This one had issues with sluggishness for several years. I finally gave them the only solution that would ultimately work: complete action disassembly, checking and correcting friction on each hammer, whippen, and jack center; sanding whippen felts; applying Teflon powder to hammer butts, etc.; and regulation.  I would have preferred a less costly solution for them, but it was the only way I could actually solve the problem.</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>Mine responded well to water/alcohol sizing.  I disassembled every action part except for damper flanges, which were fine.  Checked friction, and applied either 10%, 25%, 35%, or 50% solution depending on the friction there. Some repinning was needed as well, mainly because the sizing solution worked too well on a few. (Or, that I was too aggressive due to my lack of experience in choosing which % solution to use.)<BR></DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>During regulation, it became apparent that the balance rail bushings needed replacement.  Cupped bushings were causing significant repetition problems. I used VS Profelt and cauls on the front rail bushings to renew the felt there, which worked very well.</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>After regulation, it still has some problems with key weighting.  But it plays much better than before -- just a heavier touch than I like. I'm waiting to make sure the work is satisfactory - I told the church to play it for 2-3 weeks to make SURE everything was to their satisfaction.  I should know by next week if everything is good.</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>I suppose I can always trim the balance rail felts (toward the player) to help slightly with the heavy touch.</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>In all, I worked several more hours that I'd originally estimated.  However, I still feel like a learner in this realm, so it was great experience.  And I was paid well for "learning." Gotta love that!</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>Hope this helps.</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV></DIV>-- <BR>JF<BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>