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<font size=3>Jack,<br>
Do not be afraid of a rocker arm action. They are quite stable
once<br>
you have them under control. As Jim C. pointed out, they are a
low<br>
friction design. Those 88 set screws on the sticker only take a few<br>
minutes to loosen/tighten.<br>
<br>
Unless the parts are useless, do not replace them just to install
more<br>
familiar parts. Since you are not familiar with action geometry, this may
not<br>
be the best candidate for you to get your feet wet.<br>
<br>
I felt the same way when I first encountered these mechanisms. But after
I<br>
became familiar with them, I would not change them.<br>
<br>
Now, I happen to like sticker actions. In fact, today I was delving on
the<br>
possibilities of installing stickers on a modern action. From the few I
have seen<br>
the friction is considerably lower by removing the capstan/cushion
interface.<br>
Lower friction makes for optimum repetition.<br>
<br>
The best arrangement I have seen so far is on an Ibach where the sticker
had a<br>
turnbuckle midway, which adjusted as easily as a capstan. The key had the
'pin<br>
mount' screwed to the keystick. This arrangement added only about 5
to 10 minutes<br>
to the top action removal/reinstallation process. For the added benefit
of reduced<br>
friction, that is a small price to pay.<br>
<br>
Convenience isn't everything.<br>
<br>
Make it work first. if there is a problem with regulation, determine
why.<br>
It probably won't be because of the sticker but rather the hammer
length.<br>
<br>
There are many things to consider. make it work. That may be
enough.<br>
<br>
Have a pleasant weekend,<br>
<br>
Jon Page<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
At 01:41 AM 5/28/99 -0400, you wrote:<br>
>I have in my care a George Steck 8'-9'(?) grand with a very unusual
<br>
>whippen/capstan configuration. Instead of a cushion, the
whippens are pinned <br>
>to a kind of sticker(flange?). One end of the sticker is pinned to
the <br>
>whippen and the other is pinned to the capstan. (Thankfully, this end
has a <br>
>set screw!) The capstan is the double screw type capstan accessible
only with <br>
>an offset screwdriver.<br>
><br>
>I don't relish the thought of loosening 88 set screws just to remove
the <br>
>stack, nor do I look forward to regulating the hammer blow once I
replace the <br>
>hammers.<br>
><br>
>My question is this:<x-tab> </x-tab><br>
><br>
>If I replace the odd whippens with conventional ones and replace the
old <br>
>capstans with 1"(?) dowel capstans, am I asking for trouble with
the action <br>
>geometry?<br>
><br>
>Does anybody have any experience/suggestions for how to go about
changing <br>
>them?<br>
><br>
>Or is it better just to live with the old parts if they are still
serviceable?<br>
><br>
>Okay, okay, that's three questions, but you get the idea. <br>
><br>
>Thanks,<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab> </x-tab>Jack
Lofton,
RPT<x-tab> </x-tab>Seattle<br>
> </font><br>
<br>
<div>Jon Page, Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass.
<a href="mailto:jpage@capecod.net" EUDORA=AUTOURL>mailto:jpage@capecod.net</a></div>
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