<DIV> <DIV>List,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>On the topic of balance rail punching stability, I have found that when leveling keys on pianos where the felt is already nice and settled it REALLY helps to mark each punching with a little line or dot (I use a fine point Sharpee pen) at the 6 O'clock position IMMEDIATELY after removing keys. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>When pulling punchings in and out they inevitably rotate. The little mark keeps the felt punchings in their original orientation. Have you ever put in a tissue thin punching and had it make a bigger difference than you expected? It's due to the felt punching rotating.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Try it! You'll like it!<BR><BR><B><I>Joe Garrett <joegarrett@earthlink.net></I></B> wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1458" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Bob Hull said: "<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Ron's idea of compressing the punchings on a rod<BR>sounds good.  I've been taking them (regular felt<BR>balance rail punchings form pianotek) one by one and<BR>hammering them on the concrete shop floor before<BR>installing.  This obviously compresses and I don't<BR>think that rethicken enough to be concerned."<BR><BR>Bob Hull,</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Ron's idea is a good one. Another is to get  4" long x 1/2" diameter dowel; drill a hole in one end, of sufficient length; sand it nice and smooth. Put the desired punchings on the key frame. Make sure the frame is firm to the bench. One whack with a dead blow hammer per punching, does it for me. Since I've been doing it this way, I don't have to waste time "threading" the various punchings on a rod/taking them off the rod, etc. One of Murphy's laws is that you'll be out of the ones, on the rod,  that you need.<G> I must say I'm not too keen on the shop floor thingee!<G></FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV>Best Regards,</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT><BR> </DIV></FONT> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Joe Garrett, R.P.T.<BR>Captain, Tool Police<BR>Squares R I</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><BR>Ryan Sowers, RPT Puget Sound Chapter<br>Pianova Piano Service<br>Olympia, WA<p>__________________________________________________<br>Do You Yahoo!?<br>Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around <br>http://mail.yahoo.com