Sluggish dampers

[Jim]

Hi David:

Yes, tightening the damper screws can definitely have an affect on
sluggish dampers.  It can twist dampers as well as lean them one way
or another.  If the dampers are binding on one side of the guide holes,
you can check that by lightly pushing the damper head first to one side
and then to the other with your fingernail.  If it is harder to push one
way than the other, you have binding. Fix it with the double bends of the
wire from below.  I wrote on this about 3 months ago.

The other thing which can cause sluggish dampers is tight damper flange
bushings, even in the upper lever.  You can locate the sluggish dampers
by lifting the levers one at a time with one finger.  You'll be able to
feel any big differences. If you disconnect the damper wire and lift again
you may be able to tell if it is the flange or the upper lever flange by
rotating it.  In some extreme cases, it could be the guide rail bushings
themselves.  If it is, this can be reamed or enlarged very slightly using
a hod rod or caul, or sometimes only using an umbrella stave. If only
the umbrella stave is needed, that can be done without taking out the
action.  To do this, lift a damper, place a pointed stave against the
damper wire and then work the two up and down together so that you don't
scratch the damper wire.  This should be done only as much as you would
ease a key bushing.  You don't want a sloppy guide rail.

Sometimes tight damper flange bushings only need something like protek or
some other good center pin lubricant or shrinking solution.  Otherwise,
repinning is necessary.

Jim Coleman, Sr.

PS I really do occasionally write on things other than Accutuners.

On Mon, 31 Mar 1997, Vanderhoofven wrote:

> Dear Friends,
>
> I recently tuned a nice Baldwin Artist grand, about a year old.  I also
> tightened all of the plate and action screws, including the damper flange
> screws. During my tuning, I noticed that two dampers were sluggish in
> returning, so I worked to get them to stop sticking, and they were working
> when I left.  The customers were pleased with the tuning, but noticed
> several dampers being slow in returning after I tuned the piano.  The
> customer thinks that it had something to do with the tuning.  I don't think
> it had anything to do with the tuning, but it MAY have something to do with
> my tightening the damper screws.
>
> I have a chance to go back and correct this problem on Wednesday.  I am
> thinking of lubricating the sluggish damper wires with Protek, and possibly
> reaming the guide rail bushings.  Are there other things to try?
>
> Also, can sluggish dampers have anything to do with the humidity?  Some
> days the dampers stick, and other days they don't.  Do guide rails change
> that much with the humidity?
>
> Thanks!
> David
>
>
> David A. Vanderhoofven       Associate Member, PTG
> Joplin, Missouri, USA        e-mail:  dkvander@clandjop.com
>
> web page:  http://www.clandjop.com/~dkvander/
> #pianotech page:  http://www.clandjop.com/~dkvander/ircpiano.html
>