kimball advice

[Dean May]

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I remember in the early days of working on pianos being leery of making =
these kinds of adjustments. Actually it turns out to be the easiest way =
to correct the kinds of problems you are facing. Don't hesitate to shim =
the balance or front rail (add or remove) to correct out of adjustment =
key dip, if the out of adjustment is pervasive to an entire section, as =
you are seeing. I cut strips of 3X5 cards for shim stock about ? inch =
wide (you can use the previous tuner's card left in the piano in a pinch =
;-) ). If you want to get tricky, you can raise the sharps only or the =
whites only by shimming the respective sides of the balance rail, =
instead of pushing the shim all the way through.=20
=20
Remember that generally you only need half as much on the balance rail =
as you do the front rail. One or two thicknesses of card stock on the =
balance rail will make a substantial difference.=20
=20
And generally, my experience, is that only the balance rail needs =
shimmed up. In your case, since it is happening in the middle, just shim =
at the bass break and the treble break. No need to shim at the ends if =
key dip is good there.=20
=20
Why does it happen? Who knows. Sagging, humidity, felt compression, poor =
factory set up, phase of moon change.
=20
Dean
=20
Dean May             cell 812.239.3359
PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272
Terre Haute IN  47802
=20
-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]On =
Behalf Of Ed Carwithen
Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2004 10:04 AM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: kimball advice
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I was called to work on a Kimball console piano this week.  Manufactured =
about 1957.  The name decal says kimballette?? It was 169 cents flat.  I =
did a pitch raise and tune, and all went well.  The problem is that the =
keys bottom out on the front rail felts before achieving let off.  The =
dip is only about 6 mm.   I removed the keys and cleaned and vacuumed, =
and also removed the key slip to measure the key height.  The front rail =
of the key frame stands above the key bed some 3 or 4 MM.  This is even =
across the front of the front rail key frame.  The balance rail seems to =
be correct and bedded on the key bed.  The balance rail felts are good, =
and appear to be sufficient in thickness.  The front  rail that is high =
is consistent in being off of the key bed from bass end of the piano to =
the treble.  There is dirt and trash between the rail and the key bed =
that I did not try to clean out as I would have had to remove the key =
frame to get to it.  There appears to be some sort of spacer on a couple =
of the screws that hold down the key frame which seems to be there =
specifically to keep the front rail spaced as it is.  It does not appear =
that the frame or key bed is warped.  The piano has not been worked on =
previously so I don't think the problem is a former job gone bad.
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The piano was left in a garage for the past several years, and now has =
been given to the present owner.  The finish is in good shape, and the =
strings are clean and tuned up well, the pins are nice and tight.  The =
balance rail and front rail felts are good as is the back cloth.  The =
keys are not warped.=20
=20
Everything looks like it would work well if I just removed the key =
frame, clean underneath and replace it so that it is flat to the keybed. =
 Then the keys should have proper dip, even if some adjustment with =
felts needs to be done.  Should I just put in thicker balance rail felts =
to achieve the proper dip????
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What am I missing?????  Does anyone have a suggestion as to why this =
piano would have this type of problem.  Your thoughts would be =
gratefully accepted.
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I have a couple of weeks to figure it out while the owner is on a trip.  =
I am to go back to work on the piano at the end of April.
=20
Ed Carwithen
PTG associate
John Day, OR
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