Mike, I do find this problem, too. I believe it is humidity/moisture content change in the damper guiderail/bushings. Have you tried easing the guiderail with a damper easing tool? That is less time consuming than your other solutions. I usually do that (you have to have one of the thin/slim tools, some are too wide/thick), then if I have to, I take all dampers out and ease the bushings with methanol/water using bridge pins as sizing cauls. I have also found sluggish underlevers. Lots of humidity here!! Lance Lafargue, RPT New Orleans Chapter Covington, LA. lafargue@iamerica.net ---------- > From: Mike Musial <mmusial@acsworld.net> > To: pianotech@ptg.org > Subject: Sticking Steinway dampers > Date: Friday, July 17, 1998 8:44 AM > > Hello List > > I am experiencing a recurring problem when I tune newer Steinway grands. > Sometimes when I apply a test blow while tuning, the damper (usually > tenor/treble) will "hang" and not return to the string unless I tap it back > down with my finger. From that point on, the damper seems to work fine until > that note is played ff or louder, then it hangs again. In most instances I > believe this hanging damper problem was not evident until I applied the test > blow. > I believe that the offending damper wires were initially rubbing against the > guide rail bushing, but not hard enough to be affected by the friction. When > I apply my test blow the damper wire bends somewhere along its length > causing it to move deeper into the side of the bushing causing excessive > friction, resulting in the hanging problem. Many times this hanging can be > fixed by applying a VERY light film of protek on the damper wire itself (not > the bushing). It seems more often than not, I must remove the offending > damper and rebend the wire to allow it to move in the bushing freely. Once I > do this the problem does not appear again. > > The real frustration here is when it is a relatively new piano being rented > for a performance. I need to apply those test blows, but am always afraid > they may set off a hanging damper, the repair of which seriously cuts into > my allotted tuning time. > > Is this a common problem others have experienced? If not, I guess I must be > forced to assume my test blows are applied a bit too enthusiastically, which > I do not believe to be the case. > > Mike Musial RPT > Reedsville Pa >
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