This sounds like a classic case of extremely hard knuckles. Take your voicing tool and experiment on one of them by driving the needles through the leather and into the core. You should get some major changes immediately. Don't be surprised if you'll need address this same issue in a year or so. It's the nature of these types of knuckles to pack down hard. Tom Servinsky ----- Original Message ----- From: Gene Nelson To: pianotech at ptg.org Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2010 10:27 PM Subject: [pianotech] hammer return noise Having a difficult time reducing hammer return noise on a piano with new Tokiwa whips & shanks, new hammers, key capstans, back checks, key pins and bushings, front and balance rail punchings, key buttons, and key end felt. Key frame is properly bedded. Action is regulated. All action frame joints and screws are solid and tight. All action parts screws are tight. All centers are at optimal friction with no wobble. All hammer glue joints are solid. All whippen glue joints are solid. Hammer rest rail has new felt, is adjusted at correct height and nuts are tight. Key stop rail has new felt and is adjusted for minimal up key movement. I have checked the knuckles - the core is firm dense felt and a needle easily goes in from the side. Buckskin is not too tight over cores. I have had minimal to zero results using my sugar coater on the knuckle buck skin. I can depress the key about 2mm, release it and give a slightly woody clunk upon return. Noise is a bit louder when hammer falls after releasing from check. Happens on the bench and when secured in the action cavity. It is noticeable when playing especially in the upper treble section with lid closed but the noise exists in the lower parts as well but not quite so noticeable when playing. Any ideas would be helpful. At some point I should just give up and accept it as normal action noise? Thanks for your thoughts. Gene -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20100301/680f1f4b/attachment.htm>
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