<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <html><head><style type="text/css"></style><title>Damper Assembly Upgrade</title></head><body> <div><font face="Arial" size="-4" color="#000000">>I'm still not quite clear on how it works...what is the nylon block for?</font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="-4" color="#000000"><br></font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="-4" color="#000000">Look at the photo, it is the caul for pressing/gluing the suede onto the blocks.</font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="-4" color="#000000"><br></font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="-4" color="#000000"><br></font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="-4" color="#000000">>If I have it correct...the leather cover blocks with the dimples have the pedal rod in >between...?   If so don't you have the same problem of the rod creating friction at the >ends...need for lubrication...squeeks...</font></div> <div><br></div> <div>Of course one would lubricate the rod ends to reduce friction. The problem with the OEM pitman is</div> <div>the scrubbing/friction on the tray and lever with the grip of the bushed hole in the keybed.</div> <div>What my system eliminates is the need to lie on your back under the piano with a drill and hopefully get the hole drilled into the bottom of the tray in the best location, also the lever.  As the pedal is engaged the rod moves forward, so it is critical to locate the pin holes in the tray and lever, which</div> <div>prompted the use of the blocks as movable supports.</div> <div><br></div> <div>My first proto-type of this block/rod system was a dowel with pins. I first thought this would be easier because I only needed to glue a flat piece of suede to the block but I needed to make a conical shaped hole into the wood to allow the pin to arc as the pedal is engaged. A drawback came in the length of the pin coming out the end of the dowel and the depth of the block. I decided this application was not optimal.  Hence the dimpled blocks to the accept the rod ends.</div> <div><br></div> <div>It is a little labor intensive in its fabrication. My first runs of block was square but after making them</div> <div>I realized it would be more cost effective to cut them from a dowel rather than cut stock square.</div> <div>Then there's drilling the dimple but the longest time is spent cutting, shaping and polishing the rod ends.  The best time spent is sitting around with your feet up while the glue dries.  :-)</div> <div>I made two cauls for limited production.</div> <div><font face="Arial" size="-4" color="#000000"><br></font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="-4" color="#000000">>the advantage to the Steinway retrofit is the universal type joint of the punching on each >end of the dowel...</font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="-4" color="#000000"><br></font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="-4" color="#000000">I haven't seen the S&S retro-fit system.</font></div> <x-sigsep><pre>-- </pre></x-sigsep> <div><br> Regards,<br> <br> Jon Page</div> </body> </html>