$2 for 2 minutes? You've got way more than 2 minutes invested in fixing this problem. You fussed with it the first time you were out. You thought about it when you went home. You wrote a post to this list to tap into the collective wisdom here (how much is access to that database of knowledge worth?) and carried on a dialogue about it. You drove back out to the customer's house, pulled the action, diagnosed the problem, fussed with finding the right tool, fixed the problem (multiple problems, actually, including eliminating "clunkyness"), and reinstalled the action. You are an experienced technician. People are paying you for your skills, knowledge and ability to solve problems, including where to go for additional knowledge. Your customer does not have the time or inclination or resources to solve the problem. You do and that is what he is paying you for. And that is what you should charge him for, not for the 2 minutes it took you to turn the spoons. I will now step off of my soap box. Blessings, Dean Dean May cell 812.239.3359 PianoRebuilders.com 812.235.5272 Terre Haute IN 47802 -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]On Behalf Of R Moody Sent: Friday, March 12, 2004 3:07 AM To: Pianotech Subject: Re: Damper lever felts, dents in Keith wrote..... > The spoons on the wippens were at a dramatic angle. So much so that > they were actually digging into the felt, much like a spade shovel > digs into the ground YEP!!! That was IT ! Why I didn't notice it before I don't know. The spoons were "twisted" or "rotated" in a way one edge of the spoon was tilted into the felt. Not that much if you can imagine that the spoon should sit at 9 to 3 o'clock in relation to the "tail" felt but they were actually at 10 to 4. Too tough to move with hemostats and not enough room for needle nose pliers wrapped with duct tape. I found the key pin turning tool fit just right to "turn" them back wo taking the action apart. It took more time to find the right tool than to actually "turn" them back. (2 minutes) (Only the tenor ones were "tilted", treble and bass OK. In so doing, they now sit on a different part of the felt and the change in the feel of the action from chunky to ideal is dramatic. The difference between playing with the damper pedal down or not is no longer an issue. How long this should last is questionable but it is similar to pushing the center rail key pins forward or backwards to get out of the wear of the felt. Time will tell how long we can get away with this. But in the meantime the client is happy, (I didn't tell her $2.00 amounted to $60 an hour---rather high out here.), I am happy, the kid (8th grade Band, playing English Horn and taking piano lessons) now has a decent piano for a few years at least. Thanks for the input....... Richard Moody "The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing." John Powell (1834-1902); American geologist and ethnologist. From: "Keith McGavern" <kam544@gbronline.com> To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Monday, March 08, 2004 9:24 AM Subject: Re: Damper lever felts, dents in > At 9:54 AM -0600 3/7/04, Keith McGavern wrote: > >At 12:43 AM -0600 3/7/04, R Moody wrote: > >>... why are some of the felts dented but not others in the > >>area? > > > >My elementary answer is: > >Those notes have been played more, and aggressively at that. > > Ric, > > I wanted to mention something that I remember produced a similar > cupping in the damper lever lift rod felts. > > The spoons on the wippens were at a dramatic angle. So much so that > they were actually digging into the felt, much like a spade shovel > digs into the ground. On top of that the young piano player was a > very enthusiastic, aggressive player. > > If that is the case, nothing short of replacing the felts and > readjusting the spoons will resolve the situation. It will take some > time to make it right if so. As I remember it wasn't a fun job, but > necessary. > > A lot of bending! > > Keith > > -- > Keith McGavern Texas State Association > Registered Piano Technician SOONER SPRING SEMINAR > Oklahoma Chapter 731 March 11-14, 2004 > Piano Technicians Guild http://www.ptg.org/tsa/ > USA > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives _______________________________________________ pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC