Pianotech

  • 1.  repetition - jack spring

    Member
    Posted 10-16-2018 22:08
    On This Old Action, another episode in never ending series
    The jack makes a  very audible click on the return. I gave the stop felts some pro lube and it may not solve the problem.
    1927 Steinert 6' 0"
    My question is, is it possible to regulate the spring pressure on the jack? It seems much too strong to me. 

    What are the other options? I couldn't locate the felt buttons in the Schaff catalog. 

    The owner asked this,
    His grandfather bought it from a Dealer in Chicago or Milwaukee. Any way of finding this out?

    Right??  LOL a long shot I guess.


  • 2.  RE: repetition - jack spring

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-16-2018 23:33
    Keith 

    The spring that regulates the jack is the same one that regulates the wippen. If you weaken the jack spring it will effect the repetition. On an old instrument like this the simplest way to reduce the noise is to replace the jack return felts. It doesn't have to be the exact size. 

    Look up the piano in the Pearce Atlas and find a date of manufacturing. Steinert was a big name on the East coast.

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    Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
    Mililani, HI 96789
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  • 3.  RE: repetition - jack spring

    Member
    Posted 10-17-2018 11:08
    Thanks Wim,,, yes I had thought of that but was wondering if the angle the spring enters the the jack would affect the return pressure. 
    I have one of those spring gauges so I guess I'll have to check that one out myself. 
    The hammers have a nice slow rise after check and flange pinning is good.

    Replacing those buttons is not the easiest job. I hope the pro felt works. The spoon is large in comparison to most. I seem to run across this problem a lot,,, the tick noise when you release the key after check. It's annoying

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    Keith Roberts
    owner
    Hathaway Pines CA
    209-728-2163
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  • 4.  RE: repetition - jack spring

    Posted 10-17-2018 12:57
    I've run into this on a Young Chang.  I removed the whole hammer rail assembly to give me access to the wippens, saturated the old punchings with wallpaper remover, pulled them out and glued in new.  The jack position at the outset was right at a score line on the repetition lever, so setting the action back to its existing regulation was very straightforward.

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    Floyd Gadd
    Regina SK
    306-502-9103
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