On 9/15/09, Terry Farrell <mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com> wrote: > Julia - The best way to steam voice hammers is the Roger Jolly method. > He has published articles in the PTG Journal describing the method - > he has also lectured on the subject. I don't know what issue has the > article - maybe someone else knows. > > The method is basically as follows: Cut several maybe 3" by 12" pieces > of cotton material - like bedsheets. Dampen them. Lay the damp > material over the hammer strike points. Take a hot iron with the brass > ironing caul (Pianotek sells them) and iron the damp material with the > hammer underneath. The hot hammer instantly heats the water in the > cotton and turns it to steam and applies it directly to the hammer. > One needs to experiment a bit at first to learn how hot to make the > iron and how much water to put on the material. Once you get that down > the process is extremely fast, effective and controllable. You can > reverse the process by dry ironing the hammers. I use this method > almost exclusively when doing extreme voicing (turning NASTY hammers > into something resembling a piano hammer). > > If the hammer is properly glued, it will not cause any problems. I've > never had a hammer come unglued, and I've done this hundreds of times. > > Terry Farrell > ...or you could be cheap, like me. I used an old white handkerchief and a travel steam iron (dry) the first time I experimented. Never bought a special tool. I found I could "bulk steam" a whole section at a time. (Baldwin 243s, of which we have 20) Speed - No nuance, fer sher, but iron is so light that I can do individual hammers if I want. Minimum steam setting for softening, "wool" setting for hardening. -- Conrad Hoffsommer, RPT - Keyboard Technician Luther College, 700 College Dr., Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045 1-(563)-387-1204 // Fax 1-(563)-387-1076
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