Reducing weight was RE: older kawai whippen assist springs

[Tom Servinsky]

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Don't forget to lubricate the wippen heels with Prolube. The difference =
in touch is worth the weight in gold!=20
Tom Servinsky
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Alan Barnard=20
  To: deanmay@pianorebuilders.com, Pianotech=20
  Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2005 9:08 PM
  Subject: Reducing weight was RE: older kawai whippen assist springs


  I have a customer with a Baldwin console who has MS and I really need =
to lighten the action for her if possible.=20

  After minimizing friction, adjusting the dampers so they lift a little =
later in the cycle, what else can make a difference?

  Can you/should you shave and cove hammers like you can in a grand?

  Weaken the return springs a little?

  Add lead?

  Any ideas on what's worth doing here?

  Alan Barnard
  Salem, Missouri


    ----- Original Message -----=20
    From: Dean May=20
    To: Pianotech
    Sent: 11/22/2005 7:26:07 PM=20
    Subject: RE: older kawai whippen assist springs


    I would take some weight out of the hammers. For every gram you take =
out you'll reduce downweight by 5-6 grams. Plus what really makes a =
piano feel like a heavy touch is the inertial weight, not static down =
weight. Adjusting the whippen springs will not reduce the inertial =
weight. Only removing actual weight will do this, which taking weight =
out of hammers does.

    =20

    How do you take weight out of hammers? Get a tail shaping jig from =
Spurlock. Cut an arc on your disc sander. You can also taper the hammer =
sides on the disc sander. Get a drug dealers scale off ebay that =
measures to the tenth of a gram (cost about $30) to precisely keep track =
of how much weight you are taking off each hammer. You don't want to =
take too much off or your upweight will go too low and the action will =
seem sluggish.=20

    =20

    The last Young Chang I did reduced static down weight by 10+ grams =
(from 58-65 down to around 50). I even took one lead weight out of each =
key to bring up the weight up a little. That's weight out of the hammer =
and lead weight out of the key. All in all I took about 4+ lbs of weight =
out of the action (that translates into inertial weight reduction) and =
the results were phenomenal. The customer had some serious arthritis =
issues and I needed to make a dramatic reduction.

    =20

    I still have a lot to learn on balancing an action but I am really =
happy with what I've been able to accomplish. My understanding is that =
if you don't take any actual weight out of the action you will not =
reduce the inertial weight, and that is what really makes an action feel =
heavy.

    =20

    Dean

    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 TOM DRISCOLL
    Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2005 7:41 PM
    To: Pianotech
    Subject: older kawai whippen assist springs

    =20

    List,

        I'm servicing an older (1970 ish) Kawai grand tomorrow with very =
heavy touch.

        I'll be doing the usual ,i.e. easing tight balance rail holes , =
key bushings, polish and lube keypins , capstans, lube knuckles, rep =
levers, jacks , regulate----yada yada yada.

       =20

        My question is about these whippen assist springs-- I'm prepared =
to experiment and figure it out, but am wondering if anybody has some =
guidelines-tips for regulating these.

        Thanks and best wishes to all for a safe holiday.

        Tom Driscoll RPT

       =20

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