[pianotech] Easing Balance Holes : Kawai KG-1E

[Laura Olsen]

The direction of the wood grain of a piano key causes the balance rail hole to get smaller when the humidity is lower.

Laura Olsen, RPT
Barrington, IL

On Oct 9, 2011, at 7:00 AM, Avery Todd wrote:

> Don,
>  
> What am I misunderstanding here? Shouldn't it be just the opposite, ie, freely drop in dry weather and barely slide during humid? If it barely slides during dry, it's going to tighten up more during humid and be too tight. Right? Straighten me up here if I'm wrong. Hmmm.. 
>  
> Avery Todd
> Houston, TX 
> On Sat, Oct 8, 2011 at 4:38 PM, Don Mannino <donmannino at ca.rr.com> wrote:
> Paul,
> 
> The ideal easing is for the key to slide down slowly, but keeping in mind
> the humidity is important.  In variable climates like yours, during very dry
> weather ease it so that the key barely will slide back down the pin.  During
> humid weather, it should fall freely.
> 
> This method makes the keys with more lead weights slightly tighter.
> 
> Don Mannino
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
> Of Paul Milesi
> Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2011 1:00 PM
> To: PTG Pianotech List
> Subject: [pianotech] Easing Balance Holes : Kawai KG-1E
> 
> I am working on a 1991 Kawai KG-1E (5'4") in a church.  Among other things,
> I replaced key bushings.  While easing keys, I realized that the balance
> pins are installed perfectly perpendicular to the rail, rather than angled
> back.  Should this change my approach to easing the balance hole?  I was
> taught to lift the front of the key anywhere from 1/4" to 1" while the back
> of the key rests on the back rail, and to ease for free fall of the key.  It
> seems to me that on any piano, at some point lifting too far and easing to
> allow for a freely falling key will cause chucking (pulley key).  In this
> particular case, does having the pins perpendicular require less, or no,
> lifting at the front, but rather lifting front and back of the key to check
> balance hole fit?
> 
> Hoping Don Mannino might be watching....
> 
> Paul Milesi RPT
> Washington DC
> (202) 246-3136 Cell/Text
> paul at pmpiano.com
> http://www.pmpiano.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

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