<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" = http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content="MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: = 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A href="mailto:rshiflet@eaznet.com" title=rshiflet@eaznet.com>Ron = & Lorene Shiflet</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title=pianotech@ptg.org>PTG - send/receive</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, February 25, 2001 = 4:50 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Grand = regulating</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>    I never use a let-off rack.  What a waste = of time.<BR>    When you use a rack, there are always = adjustments that seem fine on the<BR>bench and then need to be changed when inside = the piano.<BR>    When I was a new technician, I thought a = rack was the only way.  By and<BR>by, I learned a timeless lesson.  = Be a little more patient now, and learn to<BR>set letoff without a jig.<BR>    By the time you set up a jig, you can have = entire let-off adjusted<BR>inside the piano.  Why waste your time?<BR><BR>Ron<BR><BR>Also, I highly recommend buying your own copy = of Yamaha's 37 steps video's.<BR>Cost is about $200.  A small price indeed.<BR><BR><BR>----- Original Message -----<BR>From: "L. = Verkoelen" <<A = href="mailto:mrfixit@pineknot.com">mrfixit@pineknot.com</A>><BR>To: = "Pianotech List" <<A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>><BR>Sent: = Saturday, February 24, 2001 10:01 AM<BR>Subject: Grand = regulating<BR><BR><BR>> Hello list,<BR>><BR>> My name is Louis Verkoelen. I am a new associate = tech high in the resort<BR>> communities of southern California and have = been tuning part time for<BR>> several years. I have been following the = list for a couple of months now<BR>and<BR>> the more I read the more I = realize I have yet to learn. I am hoping to<BR>take<BR>> my tests sometime = next year and make this a full time business.<BR>><BR>> I have a couple of = questions I hope you can help me with. I am doing my<BR>> first = full regulation on a 1929 4'10" Wurlitzer grand. The lady picked = it<BR>up<BR>> for a song and figured I could make it work right. It looks like it hasn't<BR>> been regulated since new. Let off is over 1/2".<BR>> = Anyway, to my questions.<BR>> 1.When leveling, are the clip on weights the = best way to go or is their a<BR>> better way.<BR>> 2.I need a let-off = rack. Is the Jaras 4 in 1 rack (shaff) any good or<BR>should<BR>> I stick to = the traditional wood style.<BR>> 3.The blocks that hold the key frame = in place are missing. They were<BR>> originally part of the cheek blocks. = Does anybody sell a replacement<BR>(havn't<BR>> seen them in the Schaff = or APSCO catalogs) or do I have to fabricate a<BR>set.<BR>> If I have to = make, whats the best material to use.<BR>><BR>> Thanks.<BR>><BR>> = Louis Verkoelen<BR>> Big Bear City, CA<BR>><BR>>I agree that fine regulation is best done in the piano, but I find a let-off rack useful = for getting the regulation in the ballpark. If it's pretty new and = doesn't need a lot of repair and reconditioning work, I'll proceed to just = regulate in the piano.  Just as in order to fine-tune a piano, it already has = to be pretty close to being in tune, I find that in order to fine-regulate, = it's better if it's already roughed-in.  So if it's going to the shop, = before I take the action, I align hammers to strings and measure the string = height (first and last of each section) in the piano, measure the key height, = and check the existing dip and aftertouch (important, because it'll = probably be different on your bench), then bring it to the shop, remove the = stack and keys, vacuum it all out, tighten screws, replace, square, ease, level, = and space the keys, using the clip-on weights (some people don't like them = 'cause the lead makes a mark on the back of the backcheck; I figure it = doesn't damage anything and nobody sees it except the technician, so big deal).  = I almost never have to add or subtract punchings after it's back = in the piano.   Then I align all the other action parts to each = other and use the regulating rack to set an approximate hammer line and get the = let-off and drop pretty close, but too wide, so when it's back in the piano, I = just have to do fine adjustment.  (This is of course just a brief = description of regulation).  I don't think it's a waste of time -- it's like = a pitch raise so I won't have to spend as long in the customer's home.  I = do a complete regulation with the rack, then fine-regulate in the home at = the piano, and I usually don't have to change much--just get the let-off, = drop, and key dip/aftertouch more refined.   I thought the prices = for the racks in the catalogs were outrageous, so I made my own rack from wood = slats mounted on a 2 by 4 that I can clamp, weight, or screw to the = bench.  It's about 2 feet wide.  The Jaras one is probably fine, but I = don't have any experience with it.</DIV> <DIV>    As far as the keyframe guide-pin blocks, = you'll probably have to fabricate some.  I would opt for maple or other almost-as-hard wood.  Were they "part of" the cheek blocks, or = just covered by them?  Is there another old Wurlitzer at a piano store = or customer's that you can look at to see what was there<FONT size=2>?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>    Sincerely, David Nereson, RPT, Denver<BR></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>