<font color='black' size='2' face='Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, Serif'><br> <br> <div style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 10pt; color: black; ">-----Original Message-----<br> From: jim <jim@grandpianosolutions.com><br> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 12px; white-space: pre; "><br> </span></div> <div style="color: black; "> <div id="AOLMsgPart_0_754c45bc-a0c2-417f-aa3c-4d698ca5e936" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><pre><tt><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: normal;">>></span></font><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9pt;"> I've only dealt with the half round dowels once so far. Seems like a good idea. On a short key stick, as opposed to the long D sticks I think you're talking about, what are the down sides of the half dowel? Do they jump around, click? Do they create an unstable key height in any way, or are they as good an idea as they seem? (there's mostly always engineering tradoffs) </span></font></tt><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; white-space: normal; "> </span></pre><pre><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; white-space: normal; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2"><br> </font></span></pre><pre><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; white-space: normal; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2">Greetings, </font></span></pre><pre><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; white-space: normal; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2">   It seems I was told, at the factory, back in the late 1970's, that the original idea with the accelerated action was that the hole was a little offside, so that the point of fulcrum would move proximally as the key was depressed.  Much like the cut punchings.   This would accelerate the action ratio throughout the keystroke, giving you maximum leverage at the beginning, progressing to maximum velocity at the very end. 'From low gear to high gear in .390".     At least, in theory.  I have never been around an artist that could tell the difference, and the biggest effect to me is, as Ron said, it makes key work more difficult.  </font></span></pre><pre><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; white-space: normal; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2">     I would opt for a a stiffer key with sole and top plates instead of the thinner ones sitting atop the half-rounds. </font></span></pre><pre><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; white-space: normal; "> <div style="font-size: 13px; clear: both; "><font color="black" face="arial" size="2">Ed Foote RPT<br> http://www.piano-tuners.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html</font></div> <div style="font-size: 13px; "><font color="black" face="arial" size="2"><br> </font></div> </span></pre> </div>  </div> </font>