in home regulating

[David Andersen]

I'll say it again and again: the Laroy Edwards action trolley is the  
best investment you'll ever make, because you can accurately recreate  
exact key travel outside the piano, next to the piano or anywhere  
else. This insanely great tool has made me super-sensitive to the  
importance of precise key travel and has wedded my dip block to my  
personal space. So  to speak. Precision in regulating is a pleasure.
David Andersen


On Feb 27, 2008, at 5:46 AM, Dean May wrote:

> I bought a short 4 foot plastic folding table from Sam's for about  
> $30 that
> works really well for in home regulating. I can use it for  
> displaying my
> tools or I can set the action on it for work I prefer to do out of the
> piano.
>
> The stool is a good idea. I usually place a folded up moving  
> blanket on the
> floor to kneel on or ask the customer for a large bath towel.
>
>
>
> Dean
>
> Dean May             cell 812.239.3359
>
> PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272
>
> Terre Haute IN  47802
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org]  
> On Behalf
> Of Conrad Hoffsommer
> Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 8:28 AM
> To: Pianotech List
> Subject: Re: Shteinveigh Qvestion
>
> A440A at aol.com wrote:
>> Greetings,
>> << In-piano regulation is still the best. >>
>>
>> I agree, to a point.
>
> Yup, and that's the problem with my blanket statement sans caveats.
>
>    I do virtually all of my regulating at the bench,
>> unless the job is hours away from home.  I can do it faster, and,  
>> I think,
> more
>> accurately. While some things must be done at the piano, such as key
> leveling,
>> final let-off and dip,  there are a lot of procedures that are  
>> more easily
> done
>> on a bench.  Seems at the factory, the regulators are all working on
> benches
>> beside the piano.
>
> Perhaps in situ would be better than "in-piano".  As you point out, in
> the factory, regs are done on a bench, but one can easily just spin
> around, slip the action back into the piano and double/triple/ 
> quadruple
> check progress.  I do a lot of regulation steps with the action pulled
> out onto my lap, or spun around with the stack end sticking out.
>
> I recently turned this process into a teaching time. The customer was
> floating in and out of the room as I was doing the regulation (S&S D)
> and I had the fun of letting him play after some of the individual
> steps. His reactions of amazement of what just one step (like  
> balancier
> spring tension) would do for playability were repeated until the  
> job was
> finished and he was not only happy, but appreciative.
>
>> you're not cranking
>> let-off buttons 4 turns while in an uncomfortable position at the  
>> piano.
>> David M. Porritt, RPT
>
> For these situations, Dave, I sit on a little step stool which puts  
> the
> action at about my eye level. (did I say that I'm altitude  
> challenged?) ;-}
>
>
> -- 
> Conrad Hoffsommer, RPT - Keyboard Technician
> Luther College, 700 College Dr., Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045
> 1-(563)-387-1204 // Fax 1-(563)-387-1076
>