Damper Upstop Rail Adjustment

[Dean May]

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Great tip, Joe!
 
To help others identify the symptom, what you feel in the touch with a
damper upstop too high is a rebound at the bottom of the keystroke. What
is happening is the inertia of the damper action continues to lift the
damper lever off the back of the key. When it falls back on the key you
can feel it as a rebound effect. Lowering the stop rail prevents it from
lifting off the back of the key. 
 
This stop rail will go out of adjustment if the damper pedal is lifting
the dampers too high. The stop rail should NOT be used as a stop for the
damper pedal. A separate stop for that should be used, preferably
directly above the damper pedal lift rod. Some inexpensive grands don't
have one. Just move the trapwork out of the way, drill a hole and thread
in a 1/4 X 1 inch bolt. Viola! A damper pedal stop adjustment. Be sure
to glue a piece of felt on top of the trapwork where it will hit the
bolt head. 
 
To adjust the damper pedal stop, I like to set it so the bi-cords are
just at the top of the strings, maybe lower. If they are off the string
that is far enough. 
 
Wherever you set it make sure that with the pedal on depressing the key
will lift the damper head a little higher than the tray lifts it. If you
have it set too high the pedal will lift the damper off the key. This
will cause you to feel it in the key when putting the pedal on and off
with the key depressed. You will feel that damper lever coming back down
on the key when you release the pedal. So don't set the pedal stop too
high, especially don't let it lift high enough to hit the stop rail
 
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 Joseph Garrett
Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2005 1:15 PM
To: pianotech
Subject: Damper Upstop Rail Adjustment
 
Paul said: " 
As far as the upstop rail is concerned, you need to set it by using a
black key fully depressed. Leave a very minimal travel of the damper
while
the key is depressed. It's ok to have the dampers lift minimally,
assuming
the damper felt fully clears the strings. If your trapwork is properly
adjusted, you won't have a problem."
 
Paul,
Totally agree.<G> Yesterday, I was tuning a Kawai KG-2C and hated the
touch. Checked the Upstop clearance...sure enough, way too high! Right
now it's colder'n hell and the wind is blowing. I was in a nice warm
Sanctuary and really didn't want to schlep out to the car to get my
modified clothes pins, just to set the darned rail. Soooooo? What to do?
<G>
As I carry 6 wide rubber mutes in my tuning kit, I thought...why not?
Played the sharps at the end of each section, put a mute under the felt,
to the height where the damper heads no longer winked. As this piano has
one continuous upstop rail, all I had to do was loosen all of the screws
and let it drop onto the raised damper levers. Cinched the screws,
reinserted the action for testing and...tada!
Regards,
 
Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon)
Captain, Tool Police
Squares R I
 
 

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