At 05:44 PM 2/20/96 -0700, you wrote: >In a message dated 96-02-20 08:12:18 EST, you write: > >> >>Does this YC have wippen helper springs at the wippen flange? >>Does the adjacent wippen have helper springs. >> >> > >The answer to both ?'s is no. > >A simple solution is to weigh the functioning key from the key pivot to the >front of the key and remove lead from the bad key until they are the same. > >If there are helper springs adjust the weight to be the same then adjust the >spring tension until the down weight is the same. > >If there is only one helper spring remove enoughg lead weight to make the key >function reasonably well. Remove the front most weight first. > > Newton > nhunt@rci.rutgers.edu > > > > >I thought about weighing the keys, but didn't know exactly what kind of a >weighing device to use. By the way Mil gratzie for the help. > >Dick Day >Marshall, MI Dear Dick, Sorry about responding so late. My e-mail got backed up! The device used for weighing piano keys would be a set of gram weights. The set of gram weights I have (and all I need for now) is a set from Schaff Piano Supply. The part number is 198 and it costs $7.08. The weight set is made out of machined brass, and there are 6 weights in the set, measuring 1 gram, 2 grams, 4 grams, 8 grams, 16 grams, and 32 grams. It is possible to diagnose friction and weight problems in a piano action using the gram weights. The gram weights are set on the front of the keys (where your finger pushes down on the keytop) and different amounts of weight are added or removed from the set until you can get the correct reading for downweight, and upweight. There have been quite a few postings by others about this topic here on this list (in the archives). You can also purchase a set of JOURNAL reprint articles from the Piano Technicians Guild about Hammers and Touchweight. The inexpensive set of weights from Schaff will serve your purpose for now, but later you may want to purchase a more accurate (and more expensive!) set of gram weights from Bill Spurlock, or Pianotek or other sources. I would reccomend not adding or removing leads from the keys, until you check for proper friction in the action. What may appear to be a problem with too much or not enough weight in the keys can actually be caused by tight action centers. After you have checked the pinning at the action centers and checked the friction at the keypins, then you can move on to adding or removing key leads. I have seen several pianos that had a jiffy lead stuck onto the back of the key. After I removed the jiffy lead, it became readily apparent that there was too much friction in the action of that note. The jiffy lead was just masking the real problem. In my opinion, working with the key leads is the last thing you do, after you check the action for proper friction. Hope this helps! Sincerely, David A. Vanderhoofven dkvander@clandjop.com Joplin, Missouri, USA Associate Member, Piano Technicians Guild web page: http://www.clandjop.com/~dkvander/
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