Heavy Hammers / High Ratio / Ric

[David Love]

My view is, to what benefit?  In order to achieve a high ratio with an
existing setup, you probably have to go to a shorter knuckle dimension,
though you could move the capstan back.  With a heavy hammer not only would
you increase wear and tear, but you would increase friction on the knuckle,
and to a greater degree if you shortened the knuckle dimension.  Shortening
the knuckle dimension would also increase flex on the shank slowing hammer
speed (not to mention key flex).  Since I've never found any tonal benefit
to very heavy hammers, I wonder why this would be desirable.  

David Love
davidlovepianos@earthlink.net


> [Original Message]
> From: Richard Brekne <Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no>
> To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: 9/24/2003 3:58:57 PM
> Subject: Re: Heavy Hammers / High Ratio / Ric
>
>
>
> Joseph Garrett wrote:
>
> > DUH number two.  I mean come on guys... we all know downsides of heavy
> > hammers. If increased wear and tear is the best ya'll can do then I dont
> > see why more instruments dont employ them.... but thats not at all what
> > I was asking about.
> >
> > RicB
> >
> > Ric,
> > Is this the puzzler of the month? By your tone, you already know, (what
you
> > think), to be the answer(s). <G>
>
> No Joe :)... no puzzler... that is to say not more then that I am as much
a
> puzzle-ee as anyone else. Just trying to get thoughts about some basic
action
> setups that seem to have been just taken for granted for like ever. For
> example, one thought is that perhaps one of the origional reasonings
behind
> whippen assist springs was to allow for the highest hammer velocity for
key
> velocity while at the same time keeping heavy hammers and light keys. We
talk
> daily of the action ratio.. even drop comments about what key leading
amounts
> are desireable due to what key inertia levels they yeild...
>
> But what seemingly ignore the action inertia ratio, and just happens to
be that
> this configuration is the one that yeilds the highest inertia ratio.
Perhaps
> this isnt so dumb after all ??? I dont know... just musing. How does this
kind
> of action "feel"... heavy, light... good heavy, bad heavy... how is it to
> controll ?? Maybe we are all barking up the wrong tree in looking at
static
> action ratios and thinking its going to really tell us much about how the
> action feels and plays. Nope.. I dont have an answer... thats why I put
up the
> question.
>
>
> PS
>
> The wear and tear argument about heavy hammers alone is kinda weak at
best.
> Things wear out anyways and regardless we have to replace them. But thats
> another thread entirely.
>
>
> >
> > Best Regards,
> > Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)
> > Captain, Tool Police
> > Squares Are I
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>
> --
> Richard Brekne
> RPT, N.P.T.F.
> UiB, Bergen, Norway
> mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
> http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html
> http://www.hf.uib.no/grieg/personer/cv_RB.html
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives