Return Springs on a Baldwin 243

[Kevin E. Ramsey RPT]

Just a thought, you've probably already done this but; what's the checking
distance on the hammers? Try to get them about 12 to 15 mm from the strings.
I've found that to just about always help. (Just a reminder.)
Kevin E. Ramsey, R.P.T
ramsey@extremezone.com
"When all you have is a hammer,
pretty soon everything looks like a tuning pin."
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Ballard" <yardbird@vermontel.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2000 4:48 AM
Subject: Return Springs on a Baldwin 243


> List,
>
> I have a piano teacher with a legitimate complaint about repetition
> on a 20 year-old Baldwin Studio Upright 243. The jack won't make it
> back under the butt until the key returns, and sometimes not even
> them. The butt and catcher leathers are also a synthetic which i
> would describe as 220 grit.
>
> My test for repetition is to use a finger of the LH as an up-stop,
> and to find at what point lowering that stop will prevent to jack's
> return
>
> The problem clears up when I lift the hammer rail for ~1mm lost
> motion at the keyboard, but I'm uncomfortable leaving in a lost
> motion of this size.
>
> I did remove the spring rail and bend all springs to that the butt
> had a minimum of return from the string (a bend going from 3pm to
> 5pm, as viewed from the bass). The repetition didn't appear to have
> gained, and now, the action is too slow in very quiet playing. So
> regardless of what positive effect weakening the hammer springs in
> relation to the jack spring might have, I'll have to backtrack from
> this to get a more positive return in quiet playing.
>
> I also changed one hammer butt for a brand new  Baldwin butt with
> beautiful smooth buckskin, but once again it wasn't clear the the
> dramatic step down in friction with real butt leather helped out the
> jack's return. Starting over with a complete set of new butts is an
> option
>
> Any ideas on improving repetition in this piano?
>
>
> Bill Ballard, RPT
> NH Chapter PTG
>
> "Can you check out this middle C?. It "whangs' - (or twangs?)
>      Thanks so much, Ginger"
>      ...........Service Request
> +++++++++++++++++++++
>