Keyframe Bedding

[David Ilvedson]

I have a Hamburg D that has a little space between the stack and the keyframe when on a bench.   I would imagine I should put it back in the piano without screws and check again?   Anything particular in the shimming material?   I would think it should be wood?   

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: A440A at aol.com
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 7/8/2008 9:08:36 AM
Subject: Re: Keyframe Bedding


>Dale  writes:

><<  I like to set the keybed/keyframe contact with keys off & action 
>screwed to frame (as per Yamaha) so I can really understand the unloaded strength 
>of 
>the keyframe I am working with. >>

>Greetings, 
>   I think I get better results when I bed the keyframe alone, then set the 
>action on it and shim any feet that are not on the cleats. This precludes any 
>internal flex, and I believe,  can make the action bedding less climate 
>sensitive, ie, if there is a gap between the action and its footing, screwing them 
>together creates a stress between the wood and the metal, in effect, a spring.  
>The metal is not going to fatigue so the wood will constantly work with 
>changes in humidity.   
>    I have done it this way many times (going on 25 years of watching lots of 
>my rebuilds), and I see stable results at the school between seasons .  It is 
>more labor intensive, but, I have found that long term returns make it a good 
>investment. 
>Regards,  



>Ed Foote RPT 
>http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
>www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
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