First thing I do before taking the action home is check the hammer line at the piano, the position of the action in and out with repect to the adjustment in the cheek block, proximity of the keys to the keyslip, the hanging distance relative to standard. I look at the hanging line of the hammers in the upper sections to see if it's straight. I check several notes by moving the action in or out to see if the strike point is in a straight line. I note if the action was moved in or out so that I can reposition the action if I want to and make adjustments to the hanging distance on the shank. Put all this information together and mark which hammers designate my line if it is uneven before I ever take the action out, or any modifications that need to be made to the existing strike line. Note also if the action cloth is worn on the stop block on the left side of the action cavity causing the action to set too far left. Note how the shanks line up over the rest cushions on the wippens. This may give you some indication as well. You may want to replace this if it is and that may force you to reset your hammer position laterally. Be sure if you do that the dampers are picking up on the correct side of the key end felt. Once I get the action home, before I remove the shanks from the rail, I align all the back checks to the tails so that when I get the new hammers reinstalled I can rough them into place by aligning them to the backchecks. Take the shanks off retaining the end hammers from each section and the marked mid section hammers if the hammer line needs altering. Repaper the rails, install the shanks and rough travel. I don't labor over minuscule movements at this point, get them close so that there is no obvious movement. Refining the traveling after hanging the hammers is easier on the eyes. Reinstall the guide hammers and shanks and hang the new guide hammers using the old as an index. I have used both the Spurlock jig and the Jaras jig for hanging hammers. I find, however, that I prefer to view the hammers from the back when hanging because it is easier to see if they are vertical. So now I use a voicing platform that I got from Jim Coleman Jr. that is about a section of hammers wide, made out of some vinyl type of stock which resists adhesion by glue and has a slot routed out along its length which is designed to fit over the backchecks to hold the platform in place. It's generally used for supporting hammers for gang filing and other such things. By flipping it over you can use the slot for aligning tails, front side or back side as you prefer. I prefer to align the coved side and most jigs are set up that way. If you tail after hanging you can use the backside of the tail for alignment. I hang hammers with the stack on the keys because it allows me to support the platform by laying it on the top of the backchecks. I lay a piece of felt along the length of the action covering the wippens to protect them from glue and other debris, and use a straightedge for aligning the shoulders of the hammers. Do one section at a time. Split the long tenor section into two shorter sections. The other jigs work fine, I just find that this is easier and quicker. I find generally that it is harder to get a straight line using the every other hammer method than this or similar type system. David Love ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Brekne" <Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no> To: "PTG" <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: September 29, 2002 8:55 AM Subject: Hang'n dem Hammers Hi folks Just curious about how many of you hang hammers by taking off every other one and more or less copying the old line, and how many use the << two sample hammers at the end of each section >> method. Also was wondering what you feel are the pros and cons of each method. I've always used the alternate hammers method. It makes pretraveling shanks a bit difficult, unless you travel all the old shanks before you start, and it seems like I end up having to burn the shanks a bit more then perhaps I'd like too. But I do get a real quick dead on line. Guess I am looking for a good reason to learn a new approach :) Any good words of advice ? -- Richard Brekne RPT, N.P.T.F. UiB, Bergen, Norway mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html _______________________________________________ pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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