Thanks Kevin. That is about what I spend. Up to about two to two-and-one-half days - but I send my key bushing jobs to another local tech. Not working with another tech, I sometimes wonder whether I am in a "normal" time zone or not. I appreciate your honesty, etc. Terry Farrell Piano Tuning & Service Tampa, Florida mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kevin E. Ramsey" <ramsey@extremezone.com> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2001 8:54 PM Subject: Re: Time Required for Old Grand Refurbish, was: Grand regulating + Backcheck Question > Let's see, you're saying that you would re-bush, start with all new > punchings, do any re-pinning that needed to be done, file hammers, complete > regulation from scratch, and of course you wouldn't want to do all that > without some voicing. I'd say three full days, less without the key > rebushing. I worry that I work to slowly, but you know, I do what has to be > done, the way it should be, and the time just flies! > > Kevin E. Ramsey > ramsey@extremezone.com > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com> > To: <pianotech@ptg.org> > Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2001 6:06 PM > Subject: Time Required for Old Grand Refurbish, was: Grand regulating + > Backcheck Question > > > > Regarding an action refurbish as generally descibed below (refelt, fix > > friction problems, some repinning, level keys, fully regulate) how much > time > > would you typically spend on such a job. I fear I spend too much time on a > > job like this. Please no responses from the Bionic clan. Human technicians > > only - you know, regular ones that get a little confused at times, etc. > You > > Bionic dudes scare me. > > > > Terry Farrell > > Piano Tuning & Service > > Tampa, Florida > > mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com> > > To: <pianotech@ptg.org> > > Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2001 8:00 PM > > Subject: Re: Grand regulating + Backcheck Question > > > > > > > To my post below, that I just sent a moment ago, I should have added the > > > following: > > > > > > When talking to your client about their 72 year old action that appears > to > > > not have been serviced for decades - perhaps more than seven decades - > > talk > > > to them about "refurbishing" the action. I am assuming it does not seem > to > > > be a situation where the piano owner is looking to rebuild the action > (of > > > course, this is what is needed, but hey, it don't always happen). I use > > the > > > term "refurbish" to mean no major parts replacement (except for a few > that > > > are capable of functioning), but rather doing the things we piano > > > technicians can do (sanding, polishing, adjusting, filing, shaping, > > > leveling, bending, cleaning, etc.) to make the action work as good as it > > can > > > with the parts it has. > > > > > > Terry Farrell > > > Piano Tuning & Service > > > Tampa, Florida > > > mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com> > > > To: <pianotech@ptg.org> > > > Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2001 7:53 PM > > > Subject: Re: Grand regulating + Backcheck Question > > > > > > > > > > Hi Louis. Looks like you got some good responses so far. I am somewhat > > of > > > a > > > > beginner also, so I also tend to get these small American grand > actions > > in > > > > for a refurbish that haven't been touched in 80 years. I have a few > > > comments > > > > that have not been brought up for these actions. > > > > > > > > 1) Refelt the keyframe. Remove all felt and punchings. New punchings, > > new > > > > felt on front, center (use thin punchings), and back rail. It doesn't > > take > > > > long, and boy, it sure makes the keys feel better. > > > > > > > > 2) Key bushings. They almost gotta be shot - unless they have been > > > replaced > > > > in the last few decades. Fixing the sloppy keys will get a lot of bang > > for > > > > the buck in getting an old action up and running (well, at least > > trotting > > > > gracefully). Make sure the rail pins are not rusty or scratched - > > replace > > > > any that are. > > > > > > > > 3) As someone else suggested, make sure you will be setting a good > key > > > > height. Best way to do this is to experiment with a couple keys in the > > pia > > > no > > > > to make sure you have clearance with the fallboard and keyslip, and > that > > > you > > > > still get enough travel with the key (keeping in mind new punchings, > > etc. > > > > > > > > 4) File those 1/4" deep groves out of hammers. I use the Dremel rig > for > > > > these real deep nasty groves. Once you get the feel for it, one or two > > > quick > > > > passes over those hammers that should be in the trash and you got > > yourself > > > a > > > > good looking, nicely shaped, old hammer that should be in the trash - > > but > > > > what the heck, it'll go for a few more decades! > > > > > > > > 5) I take the hammer and wippen rails off the action frame and swing > > the > > > > wippens & hammers. Look for the tightest and loosest ones. Remove and > > > check > > > > friction in offending flanges. Fix what is needed. Keep doing this > until > > > you > > > > get the worst ones in the right ballpark. > > > > > > > > 6) With these nasty old actions I use a home-made wooden let-off rack > > AND > > > > the Spurlock let-off rack and do my regulating on the bench. I highly > > > > recommend the Spurlock thingee. I use it for let-off AND for setting > > drop. > > > > With a good FLAT bench, you can come pretty close. And being that you > > are > > > > starting from scratch (way out in left field), you need to get it in > the > > > > ballpark on the bench. And yes, the other posts are correct that you > > will > > > > need to do some regulation in the piano - I find that sometimes you > > really > > > > need to go through the whole thing again - key leveling, etc. (I > suppose > > > > because the keyframe/keybed are not real straight) - but sometimes > there > > > is > > > > barely a thing to touch-up (keeping in mind here we are talking about > a > > > 1929 > > > > Wurly with presumably original parts - no concert regulation going on > > > here - > > > > we are usually looking for function). > > > > > > > > Here is a question from me: I find that you can usually make an old > > action > > > > work acceptably (anyone that buys an 80 year old original condition > tiny > > > > American grand AIN'T looking for hi performance). The one thing that I > > > often > > > > find difficult to make function acceptably is hammer checking. > > Obviously, > > > > new backchecks and arcing the hammer tails would take care of that, > but > > > that > > > > has always seemed to be beyond the scope of what this type of piano > > owner > > > is > > > > looking for. As long as the hammer is not double-striking the string, > I > > > > don't think they care whether the hammer checks or not. I do though. > > Does > > > > anyone have any tricks/tip for getting hammers to check on these > actions > > > > without new back checks and arcing the hammer tails? > > > > > > > > Terry Farrell > > > > Piano Tuning & Service > > > > Tampa, Florida > > > > mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > From: "L. Verkoelen" <mrfixit@pineknot.com> > > > > To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech@ptg.org> > > > > Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2001 12:01 PM > > > > Subject: Grand regulating > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hello list, > > > > > > > > > > My name is Louis Verkoelen. I am a new associate tech high in the > > resort > > > > > communities of southern California and have been tuning part time > for > > > > > several years. I have been following the list for a couple of months > > now > > > > and > > > > > the more I read the more I realize I have yet to learn. I am hoping > to > > > > take > > > > > my tests sometime next year and make this a full time business. > > > > > > > > > > I have a couple of questions I hope you can help me with. I am doing > > my > > > > > first full regulation on a 1929 4'10" Wurlitzer grand. The lady > picked > > > it > > > > up > > > > > for a song and figured I could make it work right. It looks like it > > > hasn't > > > > > been regulated since new. Let off is over 1/2". > > > > > Anyway, to my questions. > > > > > 1.When leveling, are the clip on weights the best way to go or is > > their > > > a > > > > > better way. > > > > > 2.I need a let-off rack. Is the Jaras 4 in 1 rack (shaff) any good > or > > > > should > > > > > I stick to the traditional wood style. > > > > > 3.The blocks that hold the key frame in place are missing. They were > > > > > originally part of the cheek blocks. Does anybody sell a replacement > > > > (havn't > > > > > seen them in the Schaff or APSCO catalogs) or do I have to fabricate > a > > > > set. > > > > > If I have to make, whats the best material to use. > > > > > > > > > > Thanks. > > > > > > > > > > Louis Verkoelen > > > > > Big Bear City, CA > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
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