Return Springs on a Baldwin 243

[Lance Lafargue]

Hey Bill,
Have you checked all pinning?  I have strengthened the jack springs to
improve this, too.  I usually find friction to be the main culprit here.
Tight keys, flanges, etc.  Compact actions are the most common scenario. Are
the butts indented? There is sometimes a geometry problem like hammer blow
distance changing the butt/jack relationship.... (Strengthening the hammer
springs usually creates a heavier touch.)

Lance Lafargue, RPT
Mandeville, LA
New Orleans Chapter, PTG
lancelafargue@bellsouth.net

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf
Of Bill Ballard
Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2000 6:48 AM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
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
+++++++++++++++++++++