<!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 6.00.2600.0" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>----- Original Message ----- </FONT> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>From: "Bill Ballard" <</FONT><A href="mailto:yardbird@pop.vermontel.net"><FONT size=2>yardbird@pop.vermontel.net</FONT></A><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>To: <</FONT><A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org"><FONT = size=2>pianotech@ptg.org</FONT></A><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>Sent: July 17, 2002 9:01 = PM</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>Subject: Re: Shellac vs. = lacquer</FONT><FONT size=2><BR><FONT color=#0000ff></FONT></FONT></DIV></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT><BR><FONT color=#0000ff size=2><EM>I = actually consider Brooks Ltd. Encore hammers to be the closest of perfect, as far as tonal = development. It's nice and warm the first time you play the hammers set, = and with a year or two's playing the tone will bloom without any prompting = by you.</EM></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>And I say tomahtoes...  Though I don't mind the = tone when they are new, I don't really care for how they develop.  It is = difficult to describe what we hear--there's not really a language for sound--but to = me the tone lacks depth and range.  I'm not saying that it's a bad hammer.  I service many pianos with Abel hammers and I am = comfortable working with them to get the best of what's there, it's just not my = first choice.   I think what bothers me is how unresponsive the felt = is to needles, at least when compared to the Renner hammers I have worked with.   </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT><BR><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>There are = two ways in which felt can be densified: increasing the mass while holding steady = the volume or decreasing the volume while not changing the mass. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>No argument there.<BR><BR><FONT color=#0000ff>Mass = (and by definition, density) can be added to without increasing the solid's = <BR>volume. What can't be restored once damaged, is elasticity. That's <BR>why I am concerned by anything while damages the "aliveness" of this <BR>muscle.<BR></FONT><BR>No question that you run that risk with = lacquer if not applied correctly.  But the use of lacquer doesn't necessarily mean = a loss of elasticity.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff>>One interesting experiment might be to = take a NY Steinway<BR>>hammer, infuse it with an alcohol and water solution and = throw it into the<BR>>drier for an hour to see if that doesn't brighten it up.<BR><BR>Are you talking raw or reinforced? I'd be more interested if = the <BR>water content had say, an unaccelerated 24 hours to do its work.<BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV>I was talking about a raw hammer in order to avoid = reinforcing.  The goal is to get denser felt.  If that can be done with = controlled shrinkage and thereby avoid the pitfalls of lacquer I would prefer it, = or at least I would be interested to see how it sounds.  If Steinway = would give me a few extra hammers per set (or how about one extra) I would try = it.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff>I would think poring it in from the sides = would be just the thing to <BR>give the felt mass a firm foundation. I was surprised = that it seemed <BR>not to make a difference in the focus of the sound on two Ls = this <BR>spring. It would seem eventually the strike point will have to be <BR>reinforced.<BR></FONT><BR>Reinforcing the foundation of the hammer = has worked for me but I allow the lacquer to creep toward the crown.  = Actually, in the upper range, usually from about G5 to the top, I will saturate = the hammer.  Going down I start to apply from the sides and let it = creep fairly close to the crown at first (1/16") moving it farther and farther away = as I go down in the bass.  In the mid range I let it creep to maybe 1/8", = in the bass maybe 3/16".  The effect is that you can feel the firmness on = a blow that compresses the felt down to this nether region.   I still = add a drop or two of weak solution to the crown from the point at which I = start applying from the sides.  But I usually iron first to see if I = can't get what I want that way and add lacquer to the crown if I need something more.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>David Love</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>