Key Leading Efficiency

[Farrell]

> Makes you wonder exactly how the original leading was done. These 
> didn't appear to be pattern-leading did they?

No. Yamaha. "Each key individually weighed-off" - so as to be sure to mask uneven hammer weights, uneven leverage, uneven pinning, uneven key bushing friction, etc., etc. - at least for a while, until friction changes or someone puts a new set of hammers on!

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Ballard" <yardbird@pop.vermontel.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 23, 2002 9:28 PM
Subject: Re: Key Leading Efficiency


> At 7:09 PM -0500 5/23/02, Ron Nossaman wrote:
> >The trick is to make up a bunch of holes beforehand, of the appropriate
> >sizes, so they'll be right there and ready as you need them during the
> >process. It saves a lot of setup time when you can just pick the
> >appropriate hole and insert it where needed, as you go. If you've never
> >done this before, here's a little tip. Keep the different sizes in separate
> >containers, or the smaller holes will fall into the larger ones and you
> >could turn the entire key inside out trying to install it. Also, grasp the
> >holes by their sides, rather than their ends, when handling.
> 
> I have an unending supply of holes, they're a natural by-product of 
> my thinking. I just tip my head to the side, over a jar, knock on the 
> other side of my head and they come tumbling out.
> 
> Actually, what you want to do is have a custom made step drill. 
> (<http://www.wlfuller.com/>, not mentioned at the web site but to be 
> ordered specially over the phone.) Pick your most commonly used 
> keylead diameters, say 7/16" and 1/2" and have a brad point drill 
> ground such that the first inch drills a 7/16" hole, and then the bit 
> diameter steps out (with spurs, to boot) to drill a 1/2" hole. (two, 
> Two, TWO BITS IN ONE!!) You might take the opportunity to experiment 
> with some metric drills and nearby factional sizes, drill various 
> diameter holes to see what size hole the lead will just gently press 
> into. The idea is to specify the drill diameters which you know will 
> work before you spend the money of a custom made step drill. I can't 
> remember what I finally decided on and I'm too lazy to walk over the 
> shop and mic it for you.
> 
> If you 3/8" and 5/8" leads are few and far between, you can drill the 
> middle two sizes with the same drill. Otherwise you have to separate 
> all the keys needing a 5/8" hole and do them in one run. But if you 
> sprung for two step drills and had a second drill press, you'd be all 
> set to drill all four size holes simultaneously. BTW, David Stanwood 
> showed me this one.
> 
> At 6:32 PM -0400 5/23/02, Farrell wrote:
> >It's amazing how irregular the old leading (FWs) was. Down in the 
> >bass, one natural key will need five grams less FW, and the next one 
> >will need 10 grams added!
> 
> Makes you wonder exactly how the original leading was done. These 
> didn't appear to be pattern-leading did they?
> 
> Bill Ballard RPT
> NH Chapter, P.T.G.
> 
> 
> "A jester unemployed is nobody's fool."
>      ...........Danny Kaye, in "The Court Jester"
> +++++++++++++++++++++