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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=Piannaman@aol.com
href="mailto:Piannaman@aol.com">Piannaman@aol.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> June 05, 2003 6:58 =
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Viennese Grand =
Action
Regulation</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT lang=0 =
face=Arial size=2
FAMILY="SANSSERIF">In a message dated 6/4/03 11:16:57 PM Pacific =
Daylight
Time, <A =
href="mailto:pianobuilders@olynet.com">pianobuilders@olynet.com</A>
writes: <BR><BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 face="Comic Sans MS" =
color=#000080
size=3 FAMILY="SCRIPT">
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"
TYPE="CITE">I'm sure the restorers among us won't approve but the =
last one
we did got a new keyset and Renner action stack. The owner is =
thrilled with
his "new" piano.</FONT><FONT lang=0 face="Comic Sans MS" =
color=#000000
size=2 FAMILY="SCRIPT"> <BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 size=2
FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR>Del, <BR><BR>I figured this thread would get
intertwined..._:-) <BR><BR>I thought about what it would cost =
to
replace the stack. Any ideas on that? I'd like to have an =
idea,
because I think the noisiness in the mechanism will eventually bother =
the
owner, and if replacing the old action with a more efficient one is =
within her
budget, I will suggest it as a possibility. Offline answers =
might be
appropriate here. </FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 size=2 =
FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 =
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 size=2 =
FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3>It depends. I don't =
remember enough of
the details of that specific piano and action combination to give you an =
exact
amount but...</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 size=2 =
FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3>In general, if the key =
length from the
back key offset to the tail of the key is perpendicular to the =
strikeline it's
not so bad. Occasionally you can use the existing rails with some minor
modifications. Or, failing that, new rails can sometimes be made to =
fit
existing brackets. </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 size=2 =
FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 =
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 size=2 =
FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3>Don't discount original =
wood action
brackets--I've reused them several times with good success. If you're =
concerned
about stability soak them in coating epoxy for a few minutes and hang =
them out
to cure. They will be as stable as metal brackets and will still be =
better at
absorbing all that action noise. Once I had to make a set of wood =
brackets
because nothing available from the action makers would fit. Delignit =
bridge cap
stock works really well. Or you can make your own maple
laminate.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 size=2 =
FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 =
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 size=2 =
FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3>If the original brackets =
can be used
with either modified or new rails then it is simply a matter of working =
out the
geometry. It helps to have a full-size drawing or a model of the action =
you're
going to use. You'll need to make a drilling pattern (strips of Mylar =
work well)
to drill the wippen rail, the hammershank rail and the jack letoff screw =
rail.
Then you'll need to assemble the whole thing. The amount of time all of =
this
will take depends on your experience and ingenuity. Y<FONT face="Comic =
Sans MS"
color=#000080>ou will also have to locate and drill for new capstans. =
And
install them. All of t</FONT>his can range anywhere from eight to twelve =
hours
at the low end to several days if you have to get into patching up some =
wood
brackets. (This is over and above the amount of time it would normally =
take you
to replace wippens and shanks on an existing, modern, action =
stack.)
</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 size=2 =
FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 =
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV><FONT lang=0
face=Arial color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT =
face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3>
<DIV>If all new metal brackets and rails are required the time =
requirement goes
up. Now new keyframe bracket spacers and vertical action spacing become =
an
issue. You'll also have to locate the brackets, drill the rails for =
bracket
screws and assemble the whole thing. Depending on the type of wippen =
used you
may also have to locate and install posts for a hammershank bounce rail. =
Add in
a few more hours. </DIV>
<DIV></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>One good thing, with =
conversions
like this backchecks generally do not have to be =
relocated.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>Now comes the tough =
part. If the
tail end of the keys is not perpendicular to the strikeline you will =
generally
have to replace the keyset. First you will have to design the new keys =
starting
from the strike line moving down to a capstan back through the balance =
rail pins
and up to the key headscale. The problem here is that the capstan =
locations will
be changing. Then raw keyframes require a lot of prep work to fit into =
an
existing action cavity. And that is way beyond anything I want to write =
about
here. If memory serves the last new action and keyset we did ran the =
customer
about $9,500 (including all parts, materials and labor and keeping in =
mind that
I don't do the billing) by the time we were through. Some are =
easier than
others depending on how the whole thing fits into the cavity. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>As well, with most all =
jobs of
this type the damper stack will be replaced. Most often this is pretty =
straight
forward. Drilling will be changed from the original but you can use the =
same
drilling pattern you used for the action rails.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>Del</FONT></DIV>
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