pitman retrofit

[David Ilvedson]

The square of maple is another good idea...

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: erwinspiano at aol.com
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 6/11/2008 7:28:19 AM
Subject: Re: pitman retrofit





>??? This is S.o.p. in our shop too. I have found that if I start at 3 1/2 inches I usually 
>am real close. However I do drill into the under lever the depth of a punching.? On 
>the tray I've been using a !/4 inch thick square of maple with a 3/4 inch hole cut into 
>it, then ,as you I align it for optimal travel & glue it in place.? No Squeaks, no 
>Sqauwks, no call backs.
>? Thanks Mark
>? Dale



>Thanks, David? - I'm glad you've found it useful. And yes Bob & Dale,? I do make a 
>new pitman (see the first sentence of the quote below). If you'll be replacing one of 
>those accursed brass pitmans (pitmen?) then you will of course have to enlarge the 
>hole in the keybed, or at least remove the felt. OTOH, if the original pitman was 5/8" 
>then I'll often leave the felt in the hole. That way it helps to keep the new pitman 
>from dropping out if I need to lower the trap lever for any reason. In operation the 
>new pitman will not contact the felt at all. 

>I'm still trying to find a foolproof method of cutting the new pitman to length. Now 
>I'm just taking the length of the old pitman and adding the thickness of the old 
>buckskin on the trap lever and underside of the damper tray, then subtracting the 
>combined thickness of the new 5/8" pitman punchings (incidentally, I've been using 
>Pianotek's thick pear backrail cloth for the punchings).

>- Mark Dierauf










>David Ilvedson wrote: 

>List,

>?

>Last year Mark Dierauf detailed his method of retro-fitting the Steinway pitman.?? 
>I've had great success using his method

>in the post reprinted below from the archives:

>?

>"I'm using 3/8" dowel with a 5/8" punching. Also, rather than drilling a? 
>shallow hole in the tray and trap lever, I use a roughly 1" square of 1/4"? 
>cowhide, with a 5/8" hole drilled through it, on both the tray and lever. I? can 
>position these and the new pitman, lined up through the hole through the? keybed, 
>until I get the straightest run. Then I mark their positions, remove? the 
>pitman and glue the leather blocks in place. An appropriate wedge under? the tray 
>acts as a clamp, and I use a spring clamp on the trap lever. Gluing? the 
>rough side of the lever with titebond, it dries adequately in a minute or? so, and 
>if I should screw something up I figure it will be a lot easier to? remove 
>the leather blocks than to un-drill holes in the parts. If you're? dealing with 
>an older Steinway with the 5/8" original pitman, it isn't even? necessary to 
>drill out the hole through the keybed."

>- Mark Dierauf

>THANKS MARK!!

>?

>David Ilvedson, RPT
>Pacifica, CA 94044