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

[Avery Todd]

Ok, Don. Thanks for the explanation. BTW, sorry I wasn't able to make it to
the meeting when you were here! Sure everyone enjoyed your great class as
always. <grin>

Avery

On Sun, Oct 9, 2011 at 9:08 AM, Don Mannino <donmannino at ca.rr.com> wrote:

>  Avery,****
>
> ** **
>
> Well, that’s because we’re piano tuners, and we think of tuning pins’ and
> bushings’ reaction to humidity.  They’re different from key balance holes.
> ****
>
> ** **
>
> A hole in a piece of wood (not laminated) changes with humidity exactly
> like the plug of wood that used to be in the hole.  So the hole grows a
> little larger, though not symmetrically, when the piece of wood swells up
> and gets bigger.****
>
> ** **
>
> With tuning pins, you have cross-laminated wood that can’t move much, plus
> you have wood fibers within the hole compressed tightly against the pin.  So
> those inside the hole surface fibers swell when the humidity is high, making
> the pin gets tighter.****
>
> ** **
>
> All it takes is one time prepping a piano under one condition, then seeing
> the piano again in the opposite, and this becomes quite apparent.  Take it
> from Houston to Denver, and hoo boy, those key balance holes get tight!***
> *
>
> ** **
>
> Don Mannino****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] *On
> Behalf Of *Avery Todd
> *Sent:* Sunday, October 09, 2011 5:01 AM
> *To:* pianotech at ptg.org
> *Subject:* Re: [pianotech] Easing Balance Holes : Kawai KG-1E****
>
> ** **
>
> 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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