This is a multipart message in MIME format ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Also, I retro-fit pitmans all the time. Why the pin in the= dowel? If you are drilling out a 3/4" by 1/4" deep hole in the= tray and lever for the new pitman, the glued on punching isn't= going anywhere.... David I. ----- Original message ----------------------------------------> From: <Erwinspiano@aol.com> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>, <caut@ptg.org> Received: Sun, 7 Nov 2004 16:38:08 EST Subject: [CAUT] Re: Steinway Damper sytem upgrade & redesign In a message dated 11/7/2004 10:06:39 AM Pacific Standard Time,= Erwinspiano writes: List. I thought I'd share some more piano related stuff to clean out= any potential political residue lefet over in anyones palate= from last week as my penance for irritating some with My= uncharacteristic share of dreaded political OTs post. I've been modifying many of old Steinway damper systems with a= variety of features which greatly improves its functionability &= adjustability. Many of these ideas are not my own but have found= them useful just the same.grin. I've been installing the new= Renner Back actions fairly routinely which gives a more= effective sostenuto usage with the spring loaded tabs & also the= fact that individual parts can be taken off for service if= necessary without disassembling the whole dang damper action= I.E. to reglue some flanges that have come unglued or repin a= part or two. Along with this I've also found that a few other= modifications which are not difficult to execute also increase= performance. ! Installing the tray center pivot pin so it is in line with the= underlever centers. This requires modifying or making a new= pivot block for at least one end. Result. 1.This eliminates the disparity of function in the= upstop adjustment. Meaning an upstop adjustment is made which is= equally good for pedal lift as is it is for individual key= lift. 2. the heavy pedal syndrome is made more normal by reducing= weight & friction felt on the pedal & eliminates much of the= damper thumping on the strings by less experienced players 3. Eliminates the severe dipping of the underlevers when the= tray is out of adjustment that digs out the key lift felt with= extra friction caused by the out of adjustment. 4. removing wooden or brass pedal pitmans that (always) squeak.= This requires drilling an enlarged hole thru the keybed 3/4" or= so & installing a wooden dowel with 3/4" front punchings glued= to each end & a balance rail pin installed and protruding 3/16 = inch out of the dowel. The tray & pedal lever are drilled to= accommodate the felt & pin The result is a totally quiet= squeak-free movement 5. Install a new set of Modern adjustable pedal rods. What a= blessing. See pianotek 6. Install a capstan as a sustain pedal lever travel limiter on= the bottom of the keybed. This removes the archaic block of felt= method formerly employed on all Stwy pianos, & others of course= & allows for a precise amount of damper lift& lever travel. A= nice feature which keeps the underlevers from slamming into the= upstop felt creating those annoying dents which reduce= function. 7. relocate tray return springs. In these pianos either a leaf= spring type was used in the top treble end of the tray or in= later models a coil spring was applied on the bass end of the= tray causing the tray to warp. The new springs are fit between the lever sections. One is= mounted close to the pitman which is where it needs to be to= keep the tray from being twisted during lift,resulting in a= strange array of damper lift setting problems & eventual tray= warpage. Some systems require another mounted between bass and= tenor sections. 8. The last thing which is new to me came about because of a= conversation with David Love about this. Del had done a tray for= him this way & I'd heard about others doing this so... I mounted small11/32inch long capstans under each underlever.= This allows for a very precise & perfect damper lift without all= the usual futzing and straining to move a lever in the flange= just the tiniest fraction of a mm/or inch for standard folks. The lip of the tray needs to be thinned by about 3 mm to allow= for capstan head clearance. A quick pass on the table saw does= this in a second. Drill the appropriate size hole for the capstan shank & press= with arbor press or Tap in carefully with a hammer with the tray= supported really well 8. Installing the extra wide bichord agraffes from Pianotek on= the lowest 4 bichords increase the ability of the bichord felt= to get between the large bichord bass strings which really= improves damping. 9 On many pianos, especially longer ones I also find improved= damping by using four equally cut pieces of damper felt in the= mono- chord section & on the first 2 to 4 bichord notes. This is= especially helpful on longer strings & also on smaller pianos= on which I have had all my mono chords double wrapped by the= string maker. An Addendum. Some later stwys , 1950 ish & later came without return= springs. I've learned this the hard way, ( of course), that= these need springs especially in the bass. This is my humble= opinion based on failure to damp experience, even with proper= fitted guide rail bushings & nicely fit wires, head lift etc. These upgraded systems are a huge improvement over the original= equipment setup IMHO and are not difficult to do. It does= increase labor time but it's worth it Hope this is food for thought and comment. Dale Erwin Erwins Pianos Restorations 4721 Parker Rd. Modesto, Ca 95357 209-577-8397 Rebuilt Steinway , Mason &Hamlin Sales www.Erwinspiano.com ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/caut.php/attachments/53/a6/bd/f6/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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