Lacquer for hammers

[David Ilvedson]

As I have understood voicing, the lower shoulders need to be firm so the
resiliency of the upper shoulders have something to spring? against.  I will
use a heavier mixture, 1 to 4 in that case.  One good technician I know
favors what he calls "production lacquer" for voicing.  I don't really know
what it is but apparently it doesn't get as hard as some lacquers.

David I.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf
Of A440A@AOL.COM
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2000 6:07 AM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: Re: Lacquer for hammers


 Greetings,
<< > 3) What kind of bottle do you use?


   I use an eye dropper.


>    How long must it dry?


  The lacquer needs a day to show most of what you have done.


>    Do you ever put it on the strike point?


  Oh yes!  Ever heard a country studio's piano?  they like it just short of
sounding like glass.


>    What ratio?  4:1? 5:1?


   The ratio determines how the stuff penetrates.  a glob of straight
lacquer
on the shoulder will pretty much just sit there.  A dropper of straight
thinner will just about penetrate to the core,  so there is a qualitive
difference between four drops of 4:1 vs eight drops of 8:1.  The thinner mix
will harden more of the hammer to a lesser degree, the thicker will harden
it
a lot but closer to the surface.
     In my work, a real soft hammer that has to project a lot will get a
large dose of dilute mix first, and then after a day or so I can decide if
it
needs it again, or whether a stronger strength on the shoulders will add the
needed support.  There has got to be some non-linear resilence between the
hammer's contact point and the underfelt/core.  How this resistance is
managed depends not only on how much lacquer there is, but where!
    My sources tell me that voicers in the Steinway factory, (which uses
some
of the softest hammer felt I have seen) just about drench the hammers to
start with, then the next day beginning the real voicing, which includes
needling down hammers that got too much hardener or adding more if needed.
I
believe that their progression is similar to Gina's, but others will
probably
have additional details. (I have been there twice, and saw slightly
different
approaches each time)
Regards,
Ed Foote RPT