<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:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" 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 14 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1>I’ve never tried weighting the action as Dean did. I have drilled wippen bodies and inserted lead wire to add about the same amount of mass. Takes a lot longer and probably isn’t practical unless you have the wippens off for some other reason (as I did). The same can be done—sometimes—with the catcher. <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>I have used split leads on damper wires where they seem to work indefinitely without causing problems.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>ddf<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p><div>Delwin D Fandrich<o:p></o:p>Piano Design & Fabrication<o:p></o:p>6939 Foothill Court SW, Olympia, Washington 98512 USA<o:p></o:p>Phone  360.515.0119 — Cell  360.388.6525<o:p></o:p><a href="mailto:del@fandrichpiano.com">del@fandrichpiano.com </a>— <a href="mailto:ddfandrich@gmail.com">ddfandrich@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></div><o:p> </o:p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Allen Fisher Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2012 6:01 AM To: PTG Subject: Re: [pianotech] adding weights<o:p></o:p></div></div><o:p> </o:p><div>I would put the split shots the other way around so with a hard blow they would be less likely to loosen. The abrupt stop would be towards the closed side of the split shot.<o:p></o:p><div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:center'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center id=stopSpelling></div>From: <a href="mailto:deanmay@pianorebuilders.com">deanmay@pianorebuilders.com</a> To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a> Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:10:50 -0500 Subject: [pianotech] adding weights<o:p></o:p><div>Subject was 30 year old Wurly console. Complaint was intermittent sluggish keys. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p>This was a multiple problem child. The presenting problem was jacks not resetting. It had the nasty felt for the knuckles and backchecks which contributed to excess friction on the jack. Then downweight was in the low 40 gr range and upweight was less than 20. I find that that kind of low upweight causes problems. It just isn’t enough to get things reset. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p>I changed out knuckles and backchecks to Ecsaine to improve friction. Then I added about a 10 gram weight into the back of the key and about a 4 gram fishing line weight to the bridle strap wire. I also reduced hammer spring tension slightly and damper spring tension until I was measuring around 25g at damper head. Reducing these spring tensions helped keep downweight from going up too much by adding the key/wippen weights. The results were down weights around 50g and upweights in the mid to upper 20g. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p><img border=0 width=598 height=449 id="ecx_x005f_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.jpg@01CCF399.C2D11550"><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p>I added a drop of thick CA after crimping the weight just for a little insurance. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p>The improvement was huge. A very responsive action. This is the first one that I’ve done adding the keyweights and wippen weights.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p>Dean<o:p></o:p>Dean W May                        (812) 235-5272 voice and text<o:p></o:p>PianoRebuilders.com           (888) DEAN-MAY         <o:p></o:p>Terre Haute IN 47802           Give us a LIKE on Facebook! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/PianoRebuilderscom/137780082943148" target="_blank">Go to PianoRebuilders.com</a><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p></div></div></div></div></body></html>