stuck

[David ilvedson]

Looks like your hammer blow is too narrow and your backchecks 
are to high...I would try setting the blow to 1& 6/8".  Your 
hammer will then probably be resting on the top of the back 
check.  I believe there is a tool for backchecks that will fit 
in your drill press?  It fits down over the backcheck and you 
can press further into the key using the drill press levers 
(drill press not running of course!).  With the hammer at rest 
the backcheck top should be level with the shank.  You will need 
some sort of jig for measuring height of backcheck as you 
proceed.  Increasing your blow distance and decreasing the 
keydip will help and I suppose you have already tried this?  
Increasing the dip of course will make the jack rotate even 
further.  Check your jack position to knuckle and regulate 
further under if possible...Is it possible that the hammers have 
too much felt on the lower shoulders?

Good luck...it will work out!

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA

> From:          NBWW@aol.com
> Date:          Wed, 22 Jul 1998 09:45:23 EDT
> To:            pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject:       stuck
> Reply-to:      pianotech@ptg.org

> List
> 
> I was asked to regulate a Steinway B. What I found has me stuck. Two things.
> When the hammers drop after releasing the keys they hit the top of the back
> checks. Hammers are bored to factory specs. Checking is very good. No amount
> of  repositioning the back checks seemed to solve the problem without
> compromising their function. The sesult is a slight "bump" feeling in the key-
> like you get when the under lever stop rail is set too high and the dampers
> bounce.
> The other problem is the jack. With the dip at .375, blow at 1 5/8", the back
> of the jack is being pressed into the cushion in the back of the balancier
> window. It is literally captured between that cushion and the let off button.
> Increasing either the dip or blow distance makes the problem worse. At these
> settings the action functions and feels good to me. I've done a lot of
> regulating in 22 years and I'm still learning, but I can't make sense out of
> these problems. I've seen the hammer problem on a Steinway D once and the jack
> problem on a Kawai GS 60. What have I missed? The college is trying the piano
> today and I'm calling them next week for a report. There is evidence of other
> techs attempts to deal with this piano and the current tech is smart enough to
> know its over his head. He's grateful to find some one to pursue the problems-
> for there are many Steinways on the campus and in town that have no one to
> service beyond tuning and some regulating.  Am I standing too close to the
> trees to see the forest?
> 
> Paul Chick RPT
> 
>