Grand Dampers

[William R. Monroe]

Yes, thank you.  I'd be interested in more photos.

William R. Monroe

William R. Monroe wrote:
> 
>>How long do you find you need to leave the dampers clamped for this 
>>"winged profile" to hold?  Have you ever had problems with the 
>>dampers not retaining the profile?


JD wrote:
> 
> It depends on the temperature and the air circulation, but I might 
> leave the strip in the screw clamp for two or three hours and then 
> transfer it to the simpler clamp 
> <http://pianomaker.co.uk/damper_pictures/dampers_1.jpg> after 
> applying the backing cloth and leave it there another few hours. 
> This second clamp is a simple board of mahogany with a straightened 
> clock-spring set into it, and for most pianos, which don't require 
> the bump at the top shown in the illustration, I just use a single 
> top lath and 10 Pony clamps.  It's all pretty primitive but it works. 
> As to the felt's retaining the profile, so long as the PVA glue has 
> passed the rubbery stage, the profile will first open op just a bit 
> and then hold.  If you underdo the clamping and the felt begins to 
> flatten out, you just clamp it for a bit longer.  The thing to avoid 
> is leaving it in the clamp until the glue is thoroughly set, because 
> then you get too pronounced a V.
> 
> I'll be doing the dampers on a Bechstein Model C grand this week and 
> will take some more pictures.
> 
> JD
> 
> 
>