<!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 6.00.2800.1226" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: = #ffffff" bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=3></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000080 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=Erwinspiano@aol.com href="mailto:Erwinspiano@aol.com">Erwinspiano@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> September 25, 2003 9:09 = PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Heavy Hammers / = High Ratio / Ric</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 9/25/2003 8:27:44 AM Pacific Daylight Time, <A = href="mailto:pianobuilders@olynet.com">pianobuilders@olynet.com</A> writes:<FONT face=Arial><BR><BR>One easy way to do this is to simply = change the shape of the hammershank.<BR>The currently in vogue hexagonal = hammershank cross-section shape is not the<BR>best. In fact, it's not really very = good at all. Many early action makers<BR>used a rectangular shape well out = toward the end of the shank. Some of the<BR>Pratt-Read shanks we used in the = 1970s started out with this rectangular<BR>shape extending out about 3/4 of = the length of the shank in the bass, about<BR>half way through the tenor, = and about 1/4 the length in the treble. Why<BR>this is no longer done is a = mystery to me. I guess the idea didn't<BR>originate in Germany.<BR><BR><FONT size=4>Del</FONT></FONT></DIV></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=4>  = Del</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=4>  = The Abel shanks have gone to an all thinned shank.Though not the shape your = are referring to they seem to be made of very stiff Hornbeam, I'm guessing = now. What is your opinion of this. Mine is that it works well with modest = hammer weights but now wonder at action saturation with heavier hammers. The = last set I used was heavier than the octaganal shaped Renners. That's wood for you.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=4>   Dale</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=3>Yes, I'm aware of all the wondrous claims made for the nearly miraculous hornbeam wood. By = some accounts you'd think the stuff was stiffer than an epoxy/carbon fiber = matrix. Comparing the stuff side-by-side with decent maple, however, belies many = of those claims. Both maple and hornbeam are good woods to use for = hammershanks, but with both of them the shape and cross-section have a considerable = affect on the overall stiffness of the hammershank. I'm just not a fan of the = slender, octagonal hammershank -- the bending losses are just too great. = Especially with heavier hammers. I keep wondering about the rational behind this design. = It has to be style, structurally it makes no sense at all.</FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3>Del</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>