balance rail bearings

[David ilvedson]

Dale,

So when Steinway went to the half-dowel they trimmed their 
keys from top and bottom?  So now the keys flex more than 
they did?  Very interesting indeed!

David Ilvedson, RPT


To:             	pianotech@ptg.org
Date sent:      	Sat, 2 Oct 1999 20:40:11 -0700
Subject:        	Re: balance rail bearings
From:           	dale  r fox <foxpiano@juno.com>
Send reply to:  	pianotech@ptg.org

>  Actually, a coat hanger is  not sufficient to the task.  I Use 1/8 "
> steel rod about 12" in length with both ends bent at 90 degrees about
> 1&1/2" from the end to make a rather long based U shape.     l________l  
>   This support is then placed under the keys just behind the front rail
> pins to hold the keys up whilst playing with the balance rail punchings. 
> The 'U' is upside down at this point   with the long section of rod
> holding the keys elevated.  Using a Kawai / Spurlock style action support
> allows placing of slit paper punchings under the felt punchings with the
> aid of alligator forceps. Use of the action support eliminates the
> possibility of scratching or worse of the stretcher which can easily
> happen when  the action is upended on the tails of the keys.  I use this
> method on virtually every action.  Steinways with balance rail bearings
> included.  BTW,  wish Steinway would dispense with those,  at least on
> the larger grands.  The keys need beam height way worse than they need
> the marketing hype.  B's and D's have way to much flex to be good
> mechanical levers under hard blows.  
> 
> Credit for this method should be passed on to Bill Spurlock and Fern
> Henry.  At least that's who taught me this time saver.  
> 
> Dale Fox
> 
> 
> 
> On Sat, 2 Oct 1999 20:06:57 -0600 "Joe & Penny Goss"
> <imatunr@primenet.com> writes:
> >Bob,
> >I seem to remember a freebie given out at a convention a while back 
> >that
> >might be of interest to you.
> >It was one of those tools that you could make from a coat hanger.
> >I do not remember the dimentions but perhaps someone else on the list 
> >will.
> >The purpose of the tool was to hold a section of keys up so that you 
> >could
> >remove or add the punchings.
> >Joe Goss
> >http://www.primenet.com/~imatunr/#15
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: Robert A. Anderson <fndango@azstarnet.com>
> >To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> >Sent: Saturday, October 02, 1999 6:11 PM
> >Subject: Re: balance rail bearings
> >
> >
> >> Newton wrote:
> >>
> >> "By standing the action on the back rail and protecting the 
> >stretcher
> >> from the drop screws one can move the keys and bearings far enough 
> >to
> >> see what is under the bearing and remove what is needed with a good
> >> pair of forceps."
> >>
> >> Newton, the bearing strip is 4 mm thick and butts up against the
> >> bearings. Lifting the key and bearing as high as possible will only 
> >let
> >> me see down the pin a fraction of a mm below the top of the strip. I
> >> admit that I can fish for the punchings with my forceps and raise 
> >them
> >> above the level of the strip, but I can only do this for the 
> >naturals. I
> >> have a very good forceps, and I can't reach the punchings for the
> >> sharps. There just isn't enough room.
> >>
> >> Newton also wrote:
> >>
> >> "Steinway, or any manufacturer, is cheap and will not do anything 
> >they
> >> do not have to do even if we do not always understand their
> >> rationale.  DOn't mess with it unless you really understand it."
> >>
> >> Manufactureres may be cheap, Newton, but the rest does not 
> >automatically
> >> follow. I'll bet that you could find manufacturing practices that 
> >are
> >> only done by tradition or that manufacturers might have 
> >psychological
> >> commitments to keep going. For example, balance rail bearings 
> >themselves
> >> are not cheap, but I have never been personally told by anyone that 
> >they
> >> could tell the difference in touch between a key with the bearing 
> >and
> >> one without the bearing. (I can't tell the difference.) I've noticed
> >> hearsay evidence that the bearings are better, and it makes a good
> >> marketing story for S&S. But I'm not convinced.
> >>
> >> Newton also wrote:
> >>
> >> "The strips are their to prevent the bering from twisting."
> >>
> >> This is the logical explanation for the strips. As I wrote, I'll 
> >find
> >> out how much twisting is going to happen, now that I've removed the
> >> front strip. I'll report back with my observations. Can I assume 
> >that
> >> your statement is one of logical inference, Newton, or have you 
> >really
> >> taken out the strip and observed twisting? I can certainly twist 
> >loose
> >> bearings easily enough, but they shouldn't be loose. I've had to 
> >size
> >> bearing holes that were loose to the point of making noise. I find 
> >them
> >> tedious to work with, and I'm sorry S&S uses them at all.
> >>
> >> Am I just inept at this levelling procedure or has anyone else
> >> experienced my problem?
> >>
> >> Bob Anderson
> >> Tucson, AZ
> >>
> >
> 
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David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA
ilvey@jps.net