Tugging on hammer rail to chek lost motion

[Michael Magness]

On Feb 6, 2008 7:27 PM, Alan Barnard <pianotuner at embarqmail.com> wrote:

>  Sure it is. If those hammers don't wink, they are sitting on top of the
> jack and you can't count on enough clearance to for the jack to reset.
>
> Alan Barnard
> Salem, MO
>
>  ------------------------------
> Original message
> From: KeyKat88 at aol.com
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Received: 2/6/2008 7:24:02 AM
> Subject: Tugging on hammer rail to chek lost motion
>
>
> Greeetings,
>
>               Working on an upright, I always globally check out lack of
> lost motion by tugging on the hammer rest rail, however, I came across this
> piano where there are braces on the back (or towards front) of the rail and
> I cant check it this way. Now I wonder if this shortcut is a viable one.
>
> Julia
> Reading, PA
>
>
>
>  ------------------------------
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>

I guess it's a viable enough test although simple observation should tell
you the same thing.
I can't remember tugging on a hammer rail to check for lost motion or lack
therof since I can see if there's lost motion or not by how far the
backcheck moves prior to the hammer. In fact it's easily checked note by
note as you tune since there will be those keys that get more use than
others and develop more lost motion than their neighbors.
If I find there is no lost motion I then will run my fingernail at a 45
degree angle across the keys from bass to treble, just forward of the
capstans and watch to see if any hammers drop back to the rail indicating
the capstans are set too high or that I'm dealing with an asian studio or
upright in a school in late spring, summer or early fall.

-- 
Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.
Michael Magness
Magness Piano Service
608-786-4404
www.IFixPianos.com
email mike at ifixpianos.com
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