Warped Action Parts

[Avery Todd]

Terry,

Sorry this is a little late. I've gotten behind with my e-mail.

Do you have one of those Alligator forceps kind of thing (I can NOT
remember the correct name right now) that Bill Spurlock sells? It
sure makes leveling in the keybed much easier with the keys and
stack in place.

If you tilt the action up on it's rear frame to insert the punchings
though, be sure you pad, or somehow protect, the stretcher. Don't
ask. :-)

Avery

At 08:59 PM 06/26/01 -0400, you wrote:
>With the stack on? Please tell me no! I realize people do that. Although I
>think most only do it when minor leveling is required. This thing is all
>over the place. Someone has filed down the bottom of the some keys at the
>balance rail hole -  so some keys need only a little paper, some need lots.
>It may boil down to that. I've just never had to do it that way before -
>except for just touching up.
>
>I think with my shimming that I have done, and leveling in the keybed
>without the stack on, I will still be pretty close after the stack goes on.
>Anything it needs after that, I suppose I will indeed do with the stack on.
>Yuk.  :-(
>
>Terry Farrell
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Warren Fisher" <fish@communique.net>
>To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
>Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2001 7:54 PM
>Subject: Re: Warped Action Parts
>
>
> > Terry,
> > If you level in the piano, you don't have that problem
> > Warren
> >
> > Farrell wrote:
> >
> > > Does anyone have any good tried-and-true methods (or any good guesses)
>for
> > > aligning/leveling a keybed, keyframe and stack? I'm trying to do a
> > > regulation on the Knabe I replaced the keybed in. Keybed is dead flat. I
> > > have put excellent straight-edges every which way on it and it is very,
>very
> > > flat. My trouble arose when I leveled the keys on a very flat bench with
>the
> > > action clamped down (back action frame rail bows up). Put stack on after
> > > leveling, put in piano, and keys were way low in middle. Turns out not
>only
> > > is the keyframe warped up, but the hammer and wippen rails are warped
> > > upwards in the middle also. So when you attach the stack to the
>keyframe, it
> > > pulls up the middle of the keyframe even more.
> > >
> > > We are talking about a good (well, depending on how you look at it)
>0.060
> > > inch gap between a flattened back action frame rail and the center
>action
> > > frame foot (front and rear) - lesser on others and zero at ends.
>Obviously I
> > > can just shim under the feet, but even here I get some conflicting
> > > measurement results. I have even stood everything on end when measuring
> > > warpage to eliminate the straightening effect of gravity, but then when
>I
> > > lay it out on the flat bench, I get different measurments - not just a
>bit
> > > less or more, but rather the lowest foot is now the highest foot.
> > >
> > > Is there any hope here. I know very well what the heck the piano needs:
>a
> > > new piano, or at least a new action frame, keys, and top action (would
>at
> > > least solve this problem). But the plumber/electrician that is in full
> > > charge of the fate of this hospital-owned piano does not feel it real
>wise
> > > to spend much money on it. I'm just trying to get the %&*# termite-eaten
> > > thing to play!
> > >
> > > Thanks for any input. Anyone got a shoulder to cry on?
> > >
> > > Terry Farrell
> >
> > --
> > Warren Fisher RPT
> > fish@Communique.net
> > 1422 Briarwood Dr.
> > Slidell, LA 70458-3102
> >
> >
> >