<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=us-ascii"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1458" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV>Hello,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Nice site indeed !</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Steinway Hamburg punchings are white = and  very thin (1mm but I have to measure them  to be sure, may be less).</DIV> <DIV>On the other hand Yamaha punchings are = thicker and firm enough, indeed they adbsorb more action noise . The energy is = probably only delayed, but stability longer to attain, and the touch is more fuzzy.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Isaac OLEG</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> -----Message d'origine----- De : Horace Greeley [mailto:hgreeley@stanford.edu] Envoyé : vendredi 3 = septembre 2004 08:10 À : Pianotech Objet : Re: = Balance rail felt </DIV>Jurgen, At 11:04 PM 9/2/2004, you = wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">I  have never = understood the use of thick (up to 1/8") balance rail puncings in North American = pianos. The thicker the punching, I believe, the more problems you have with  = unstable regulation - key level, key dip, blow distance (on grands) = etc.  Not to mention the loss of power as the punching compresses under the = force of a note being played ff or fff. European pianos almost always = have thin balance rail punchings.   The preferred punchings are made = out of 1.1 mm (.044") bushing cloth.  See my web site:  <A = href="http://www.pianofortesupply.com/felt2.html">http://www.pianoforte= supply.com/felt2.html</A>  In cases where these are not thick enough, thick paper = punchings are used to bring the key up to the proper height. A good rule to = follow when levelling keys is to use no more than four paper punchings, with no = more than two of the same thickness.</BLOCKQUOTE> Yes to all of the above, = especially the last bit...makes for much greater stability. The thick BR = punchings came into use not only because they were (supposed to be) faster (in = that, if too high, they could easily be compressed); but also, and in some = settings, more importantly, because that location was perceived as being a source of = too much noise with thinner punchings.  No, I know it doesn't really hold = any water...but, that was the reasoning. Nice site, by the way!  = Thanks! Best. Horace <BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">Jurgen Goering Piano = Forte Supply <BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"> Subject: = Balance rail felt From: V T <A href="mailto:pianovt@yahoo.com"><pianovt@yahoo.com></A> = Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2004 15:49:39 -0700 (PDT) To: <A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> = <PRE>Hello List, If anyone has done a survey of balance rail felt punchings, could you please let me know who is selling the thinnest, hardest ones (as little compression as possible).  Thanks! Vladan   </PRE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>