[pianotech] Shank questions

[Tom Rhea, Jr.]

List:

 

I'm just thinking out loud but has anyone toyed with the idea of
pressure-treating wooden shanks in a diluted solution of wood glue and
water?  The shanks and solution would have to be in a compressed air-loaded
vessel (NOT a pressure cooker!) since high heat would probably distort the
shanks.  My thinking is that the diluted wood glue, once dried, would give
additional strength and rigidity to the shanks.  The specifics of glue
dilution, amount of pressure and time of pressurization would have to be
worked out, but it seems plausible to me.

 

What say?  Anyone.?

 

Tom Rhea

Rhea Piano Service

Norfolk, VA

 

  _____  

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Dale Erwin
Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2011 10:24 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Shank questions

 

Perhaps using a water thin epoxy like rot doctor to quickly coat the average
set of wooden shanks would seem to me to add some stiffness as well and
secondarily....
  humidity resistance. Just muttering out loud here.

 

 

Dale S. Erwin
www.Erwinspiano.com
209-577-8397
"We are what we repeatedly do.
 Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."
-Aristotle



 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Dierauf <pianotech at nhpianos.com>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Thu, May 26, 2011 5:39 am
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Shank questions

Have you seen the Kawai high-speed videos of hammer/string contact? There's
a lot going on with the hammerhead oscillating all over the place. If that
oscillation is expanded into another axis I could easily imagine it having a
tonal effect, which would seem unlikely to be positive. When my own piano
gets  
a new set of hammers I may try one or two of the carbon shanks in each
section to see just how much tonal difference is actually perceptible, and
whether I like or dislike that difference. I like the theoretical advantages
that these shanks offer - uniformity of stiffness, impervious-ness  to
humidity, and customizable knuckle position - but honestly what matters most
is whether or not they make the piano sound better. So far that is not at
all obvious to me from the few examples I've heard. Keeping my fingers
crossed, though!

- Mark

On 2:59 PM, Encore Pianos wrote: 

My experience with the WNG shanks is as Mark describes, and do seem to twist
more than wooden shanks.  How important is this  in relation to a hammer
striking a string?  Not sure that it  is meaningful.  

 

Will Truitt

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Ed Foote
Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2011 6:35 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Shank questions

 

At 15:44 -0400 25/05/2011, Mark Dierauf wrote:
 
>Interestingly, although the WNG shanks are stiffer than your average 
>wooden shank, they seem to be noticeably more prone to twisting.
 
 Hmm,  this is the first time I have heard of this, and the several WNG
shanks I have seen with hammers on them 
 didn't' seem to twist nearly as much  as wooden ones did.  What anecdotes
do others have? 
Regards, 
Ed Foote rpt

 

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