Tokai piano

[Newton Hunt]

Hi Les,

First, the wippen spring help REDUCE sluggishness by reducing key
weight.  If they just lift their own weight then they are adjusted
properly.

The after effects of a fire take a loooong time to settle down to
"normal" which will not necessarily be what we consider normal.  Smoke
damage is long lasting, and dangerous, to you since it is more than just
toxic.  When you work on the action I would wear a mask and some gloves
when you can.

Sluggishness comes from lots and lots of sources.  If everything else is
normal then I would start by polishing the key pins, front and center,
lubricating the bushings and pins and when installing the keys do so one
at a time and carefully ease each key, front, hole and button.  Polish
the capstans and lubricate them and the rocker cushions.

Repin the entire hammer rail section and if the wippens and other pin
sets show the same symptoms then repin those as well.  

Without meticulous attention to details and doing all 88 of whatever
then what is left undone will come back and bite you.  Carefully check
the pinning of the damper section and check the polish of the wires. 
WHen you are done it will play like a dream.

		Newton

Leslie W Bartlett wrote:
> 
> I ran in to my first experience with whippen assist springs this week,
> and think I heard some negative things about such on the list, but would
> like current thinking I can share with customer. All parts in whippen are
> plastic, and the spring actually will lift the whippen up, at rest, when
> the back (damper-end) of the key is held down.
> 
> I think it is contributing to a sluggish action.  The home in which the
> piano resides had a fire five years ago. The piano was covered with a
> large tarp, says customer, in order to "prevent it from getting
> wet"........   Now, five years later, hammers are either sticking or
> swinging 1-31/2 times. There is some verdigris on the bass hammers, but
> the hammer flange pins look clean, as does the hammer flange felt.
> Wisdom needed. Repinning seems to fix the hammers, but I cannot figure
> why it would take this long for them to get tight.
> Thanks
> les bartlett
> houston
> 
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