Shank/Flange Weights

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Isaac OLEG" <oleg-i@wanadoo.fr>
To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: October 11, 2002 1:13 AM
Subject: RE: Shank/Flange Weights


> When the wood used for action parts was really dry a few decades ago,
> in good factories the shanks where sounded on a marble.
>
> For verticals it is still possible to do that, but for grand's, the
> shanks are often too soft , due to their moist content.
> It is nowadays still possible to avoid too soft ones, they simply
> don't tone at all.
>
> IO

There are several reasons for current hammershanks not performing like those
of a few decades back but their moisture content is not one of them. The
cross-section of a hammershank is so small that the wood will reach
equilibrium moisture content--whatever that may be--within hours. Even a
fully saturated hammershank will reach its EMC within a couple of days.

Hornbeam hammershanks are not the same as maple hammershanks.
Wide-grain wood--of any species--is not the same as tight-grain wood.
Vertical-grain is not the same as flat-grain.
Hammershanks with grain-drift are not the same as those with true
longitudinal grain.
Hammershank shape matters.
The drying process--from cutting the tree green through it's processing into
lumber--
    prior to machining the hammershank matters.

And I've probably just barely scratched the surface...

Del