<!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 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>Excellent feedback. That you Andre and = Ric and David.</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">From: <A title=antares@euronet.nl = href="mailto:antares@euronet.nl">antares</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">To: <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2004 = 8:33 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Subject: Re: needling = technique</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>To Jason and list, It is like Richard Brekne = said : "In a reasonably pressed hammer, the appropriate amount of = shoulder needling releases some of the inner tension directionally towards the = top (crown) of the hammer adding to its resiliancy and power". I think = to have a clear image we must try to follow the felting procedure : A big = slab of stone hard felt is pressed around a rather thin wooden molding. = Enormous pressure is needed to fold the felt around it. If you don't glue = the felt and release it from the caul, it will immediately jump back to its = former flat position. If you glue the felt and cut the hammer sideways in the = crown, the felt will jump open in two halves which both will point to a side = of the hammer. It means that the tension build up is not sideways but = towards both crown and basis of the hammer. We must also keep in mind that = hammer felt consists of many layers lying on top of each other. The fibers of = these layers interconnect (the fulling process) but nevertheless, they = remain layers. The Wurzen factory used to have a trademark in the form of = a thin layer of darker wool. A hammer, felted with this wool will show a very = thin stripe going up and down around the molding. It clearly shows just one = layer. Sticking a needle in from the side (as described by Mr = Ari Isaac) will puncture just a fraction of the layered hammer and if you = stick it all the way through you damage one layer for ever. Sticking your = needles in not from the side but into the front and back of the hammer will = puncture many layers at the same time but not damage them completely as you do from = the side. This old and much used method, the voicing method with = needles, is also at its most economic when we use three needles at the same time = and make a zig zag movement like a sewing machine, thereby using the available = small needling space in a safer and more economical way. Banging your = needles in with reasonable speed and force will have a long lasting effect and = that's how it should be. And indeed, needling from the side requires you to = actually take out each hammer and put it on a bench because you will otherwise = easily damage the shank or the center pin. It is not my method in = any case and there is also no factory on Earth using the sideway needling technique. André Oorebeek On 20-apr-04, at = 14:15, Corte Swearingen wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE>Jason, I tried this technique on my own Yamaha U1 = and, I have to say, I didn't notice much difference. Maybe I should have = been using a slightly thicker needle. The downside to this technique = is that you really have to be careful so as to not exert to much pressure = sideways on the hammer/shank assembly. It's not as easy as it sounds. Corte Swearingen Chicago "jason = kanter" <jkanter@rollingb To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org> all.com> cc: Sent by: Subject: abel needling technique pianotech-bounces @ptg.org 04/19/2004 11:39 = PM Please respond to Pianotech Last = year I came across a Web article describing Abel's method of = needling hammers. Can someone describe the technique? I can't find it. It = involves needling into, or through, the hammer from the side instead of in from the shoulders and crown. What do you folks think about this = method? Jason _________________________________________= ______ pianotech list info: = https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives </BLOCKQUOTE>fri= endly greetings from André Oorebeek Amsterdam - The = Netherlands 0031-20-6237357 0645-492389 0031-75-6226878 w= ww.concertpianoservice.nl www.grandpiano.nl "where music is, no harm can be" </BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>