Pesky pitman problem

[DICK BEATON]

Jeannie...		
Maybe the pedal travel is too great.  Check the cushion under the pedal and
see if it is worn too thin....Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the bread!!!!
Dick

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> From: Jeannie Grassi <jgrassi@silverlink.net>
> To: Pianotech <pianotech-digest@ptg.org>
> Subject: Pesky pitman problem
> Date: Monday, November 24, 1997 9:49 PM
> 
> Dear List and Susan, Newton, Dave, Bill, Theodore, & Dick,
>     I visited the patient again this afternoon, optimistically thinking I
> had the correct diagnosis.  However, seeing the piano right in front of
me
> brought home the seriousness of the situation.
>     It does not have a pin in the dowel, as most of you thought (me,
too!)
> but instead a capstan like screw, which did not seem particularly loose
or
> strange in any way. It seemed to be adjusted to the right height It does
not
> fit into a recess, but makes contact with a piece of leather under the
> damper tray.  The leather did not seem particularly worn or sticking in
any
> way. There is not any lost motion between the top of the pitman and the
tray
> which might allow sloppiness and movement.    .
>     There was no pedal stop mechanism under the keybed other than the
thick
> felt to stop the upward travel of the pedal, and it was not moving
> excessively.
>     The damper stop rail could stand to be a little bit lower, but that
is
> not possible with the present configuration, which is only a thin
aluminum
> rail and the screws are almost to the top of the slots as it is.  The
rail
> can't move any further down.  But it is not excessively high.
>     No children have been misusing the pedal, nor has anyone else. All
the
> screws in the lyre and all the levers involved in the trapwork are moving
> freely and smoothly.  Everything appears to be running straight up and
down.
>     So what am I missing?  I checked everything completely again, and put
it
> all back together.  Played the pedal 100 times and everything is working
> fine.  I can't be sure it will last, because this is what I have done all
of
> the other times and it failed.
>     I must be doing something right, however, because I was given a loaf
of
> home made bread just out of the oven in addition to a check.  This
customer
> has been very patient with all the inconvenience.
>     By the way, to "simply" remove the action to look inside there are
14,
> screws to deal with.  What a pain.   Please forward any more of your
ideas.
> My attitude about this piano is deteriorating rapidly.  Thanks for the
help.
>     Jeannie
> Jeannie Grassi, RPT
> Bainbridge Island, WA
> jgrassi@silverlink.net
>