<!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 6.00.2716.2200" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    Roger, Thanks. I = like the idea of drawing the line, that would give you an exact reference point and = can always be taken off with a stroke or two of sandpaper. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    What I'm curious = about is, are you talking about setting each section separately? You can certainly do = that, but you won't end up with dampers which raise in a very uniform way. = Personally, I would rather have a very uniform feel while I'm playing. But the tech = who will invariably sees your work may say "tsk tsk", or the equivalent. = </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    Other than that, I = don't see your methods really differing from mine very much. Someone suggested = replacing the key end felt, and of course you should do that on pianos that have = seen some wear. I come from the position that I am a staff tech at the largest = dealership in Phoenix, so most of what I do is to bring raw pianos up to their full = potential. I work on Steinway, Yamaha, Kawai, Shigeru Kawai, and Baldwin = (Ahem, along with the less costly POS's).  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    Speaking of Baldwin; = you're a dealer, why don't they ever even think about "damper timing"? In fact, I = learned how to do a real good job- real quick, just because of them. God Bless = 'em for that. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>Kevin E. Ramsey<BR><A href="mailto:ramsey@extremezone.com">ramsey@extremezone.com</A></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=baldwin@mta-01.sk.sympatico.ca href="mailto:baldwin@mta-01.sk.sympatico.ca">Baldwin Yamaha Piano = Centre</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> Friday, June 14, 2002 = 1:30 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Adjusting dampers = to tray</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><BR></DIV>Hi = Kevin,<BR>          &nb= sp;   The approach that I use in the field if I am without my damper timing = Jig, and using the tray to regulate timing.<BR><BR>1. Draw a horizontal pencil = line across the end sample hammers of each section, at half the blow = distance, down from the crown.<BR>2. Keep adjusting the pedal nut until the damper = just starts to move, as the  line becomes level with the adjacent = hammer crown.<BR>3. Remove action and re position the damper wire in the underlever.<BR>4. Reinstall action and check timing.<BR>5. Pay close = attention to the tips of wedge damper felt for  clearance of all strings, = trim tips as required.<BR>6. If you are happy with results, remove action and do = the rest of the dampers to samples.<BR>7. Adjust sustenudo system.<BR>8. = Re adjust damper tray timing, there should be at least 1.5mm from the bottom of = the tray and the dags, and 1mm lost motion from the tray to the under levers.<BR><BR>Hope this may help<BR>Regards = Roger<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>At 05:49 PM 6/8/02 -0700, you wrote:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"><FONT face=arial size=2>    Matt, what I do is perhaps the easiest, = and usually gets me perfect results. ( I like what Roger had to say = about installing new tray felt)  </FONT><BR><FONT face=arial size=2>    What I do when I want to re-set damper = timing, like when the dampers are almost down on the key ends, and lifting immediately, is to go under the piano and adjust the pedal rod nut = up a bit. Then I come back up, put my finger on the top of a damper (lightly) = and depress the key. The damper will stop the hammer rise where it = contacts the back of the key. This is how I check the timing. I just raise the = pedal rod nut until the damper timing is at one third to one half blow = distance. Then I pull the action, loosen all the damper screws, lift the = underlevers, making sure they're free. Then you can tap the dampers lightly down = into position, re-tighten the screws, and re-regulate the pedal nut. = After correcting the ones that inevitably twist upon tightening the = screws, you're basically done. You'll inevitably run into some that are a little = tight on the wire, but not bad enough to run a drill bit down into. just lift = the underlever up on the wire, and after the dampers are down in = position, tap the underlever down on the tray lightly. </FONT><BR><FONT = face=arial size=2>    All you're really doing is setting the = timing to the same thing that will be lifting the dampers; the tray. = </FONT><BR><FONT face=arial size=2>    The only problem with this = in a Steinway is that often the tray is not level. It will end up with a = damper timing that's earlier in the bass and later in the treble, which is = the opposite from what I'd really like. I just did this the other day, = and after about a half hour's work, they all lifted perfectly with the pedal. = It's a really good technique. Richard Davenport taught me this.  I've = probably corrupted his technique, so if anyone has a problem with how I = described it, blame me, not Richard. = </FONT><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>