Voicing

For the past few months I have been using an angle iron support to do "pre-voicing" (deep shoulder needling) on the bench for both uprights and grands. Bench voicing is much more ergonomic, as you can use your weight rather than brute arm strength to insert the needles, as is the case with the standard "voicing in your lap" method for grands. I had a couple 6' lengths of angle iron I bought for some purpose but didn't need, and it occurred to me to try this. 

For the upright, I have evolved to having a flat surface up with the angle down, as that gets the support right up to the action brackets (better access to the under side of the hammers) and it is better for those hammer lines that curve at the tenor break. For the grand, I do it the other direction, as that alignment is easier to support from beneath, and it is easier to hold all the tails while raising the angle iron. It can be done with stack on or off. With stack off, I simply slide the iron under the tails. With stack on, I raise all hammers, support the iron in about the right place, lower end hammers to adjust alignment, then drop all hammers onto the iron.

I use a support in the middle as well (not pictured in the photos). This was just something that occurred to me as I had two 6' lengths of 1/8" x 3/4" angle hanging around for another purpose (that I ended up not needing). There are lots of other options for material, some of which might be better.

-------------------------------------------
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm@unm.edu
http://fredsturm.net
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination." - Einstein
-------------------------------------------

Great idea and also great timing!  I'm just unwrapping a new set of hammers for a Steinway I'm overhauling.  I'll try that.  I also use a long angle iron (actually aluminum) for bench setting hammer height.  I lay the bar across the top of the flanges which gives me a nice straight line to set the blow distance. Kent Webb showed us that at one of the factory training seminars.

Have a great weekend!

-------------------------------------------
Paul T. Williams RPT
Piano Technician
University of Nebraska
Lincoln, NE 68588-0100
pwilliams4@unl.edu
-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2013 12:21
From: Fred Sturm
Subject: Angle iron voicing support

For the past few months I have been using an angle iron support to do "pre-voicing" (deep shoulder needling) on the bench for both uprights and grands. Bench voicing is much more ergonomic, as you can use your weight rather than brute arm strength to insert the needles, as is the case with the standard "voicing in your lap" method for grands. I had a couple 6' lengths of angle iron I bought for some purpose but didn't need, and it occurred to me to try this. 

For the upright, I have evolved to having a flat surface up with the angle down, as that gets the support right up to the action brackets (better access to the under side of the hammers) and it is better for those hammer lines that curve at the tenor break. For the grand, I do it the other direction, as that alignment is easier to support from beneath, and it is easier to hold all the tails while raising the angle iron. It can be done with stack on or off. With stack off, I simply slide the iron under the tails. With stack on, I raise all hammers, support the iron in about the right place, lower end hammers to adjust alignment, then drop all hammers onto the iron.

I use a support in the middle as well (not pictured in the photos). This was just something that occurred to me as I had two 6' lengths of 1/8" x 3/4" angle hanging around for another purpose (that I ended up not needing). There are lots of other options for material, some of which might be better.

-------------------------------------------
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm@unm.edu
http://fredsturm.net
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination." - Einstein
-------------------------------------------

If you are hanging a new set of hammers, you can clamp them together before hanging, and do a benchtop pre-voice. With that method, you don't have to support each hammer side to side while inserting the needles (you can use that hand to guide the needles). But if the hammers are already hung, the angle iron thing is a good method, supports all of them and you just run from one end to the other, which is usually about a couple hours for me, something like 8 deep insertions of a 3 needle tool per shoulder. I won't say my hands don't get a little sore, with the denser hammers, but it's a lot easier on the fore arms, and quicker, too.

-------------------------------------------
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm@unm.edu
http://fredsturm.net
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination." - Einstein
-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2013 12:34
From: Paul Williams
Subject: Angle iron voicing support

Great idea and also great timing!  I'm just unwrapping a new set of hammers for a Steinway I'm overhauling.  I'll try that.  I also use a long angle iron (actually aluminum) for bench setting hammer height.  I lay the bar across the top of the flanges which gives me a nice straight line to set the blow distance. Kent Webb showed us that at one of the factory training seminars.

Have a great weekend!

-------------------------------------------
Paul T. Williams RPT
Piano Technician
University of Nebraska
Lincoln, NE 68588-0100
pwilliams4@unl.edu
-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2013 12:21
From: Fred Sturm
Subject: Angle iron voicing support

For the past few months I have been using an angle iron support to do "pre-voicing" (deep shoulder needling) on the bench for both uprights and grands. Bench voicing is much more ergonomic, as you can use your weight rather than brute arm strength to insert the needles, as is the case with the standard "voicing in your lap" method for grands. I had a couple 6' lengths of angle iron I bought for some purpose but didn't need, and it occurred to me to try this. 

For the upright, I have evolved to having a flat surface up with the angle down, as that gets the support right up to the action brackets (better access to the under side of the hammers) and it is better for those hammer lines that curve at the tenor break. For the grand, I do it the other direction, as that alignment is easier to support from beneath, and it is easier to hold all the tails while raising the angle iron. It can be done with stack on or off. With stack off, I simply slide the iron under the tails. With stack on, I raise all hammers, support the iron in about the right place, lower end hammers to adjust alignment, then drop all hammers onto the iron.

I use a support in the middle as well (not pictured in the photos). This was just something that occurred to me as I had two 6' lengths of 1/8" x 3/4" angle hanging around for another purpose (that I ended up not needing). There are lots of other options for material, some of which might be better.

-------------------------------------------
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm@unm.edu
http://fredsturm.net
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination." - Einstein
-------------------------------------------

I'll try again.  I wish posting pictures here were as easy as email.

I made a hammer clamp ala Spurlock key clamp design several years ago and it works pretty well for un-hung hammer pre-voicing.  Let's hope the pic comes through...

Best,
Paul


-------------------------------------------
Paul T. Williams RPT
Piano Technician
University of Nebraska
Lincoln, NE 68588-0100
pwilliams4@unl.edu
-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2013 13:20
From: Fred Sturm
Subject: Angle iron voicing support

If you are hanging a new set of hammers, you can clamp them together before hanging, and do a benchtop pre-voice. With that method, you don't have to support each hammer side to side while inserting the needles (you can use that hand to guide the needles). But if the hammers are already hung, the angle iron thing is a good method, supports all of them and you just run from one end to the other, which is usually about a couple hours for me, something like 8 deep insertions of a 3 needle tool per shoulder. I won't say my hands don't get a little sore, with the denser hammers, but it's a lot easier on the fore arms, and quicker, too.

-------------------------------------------
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm@unm.edu
http://fredsturm.net
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination." - Einstein
-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2013 12:34
From: Paul Williams
Subject: Angle iron voicing support

Great idea and also great timing!  I'm just unwrapping a new set of hammers for a Steinway I'm overhauling.  I'll try that.  I also use a long angle iron (actually aluminum) for bench setting hammer height.  I lay the bar across the top of the flanges which gives me a nice straight line to set the blow distance. Kent Webb showed us that at one of the factory training seminars.

Have a great weekend!

-------------------------------------------
Paul T. Williams RPT
Piano Technician
University of Nebraska
Lincoln, NE 68588-0100
pwilliams4@unl.edu
-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2013 12:21
From: Fred Sturm
Subject: Angle iron voicing support

For the past few months I have been using an angle iron support to do "pre-voicing" (deep shoulder needling) on the bench for both uprights and grands. Bench voicing is much more ergonomic, as you can use your weight rather than brute arm strength to insert the needles, as is the case with the standard "voicing in your lap" method for grands. I had a couple 6' lengths of angle iron I bought for some purpose but didn't need, and it occurred to me to try this. 

For the upright, I have evolved to having a flat surface up with the angle down, as that gets the support right up to the action brackets (better access to the under side of the hammers) and it is better for those hammer lines that curve at the tenor break. For the grand, I do it the other direction, as that alignment is easier to support from beneath, and it is easier to hold all the tails while raising the angle iron. It can be done with stack on or off. With stack off, I simply slide the iron under the tails. With stack on, I raise all hammers, support the iron in about the right place, lower end hammers to adjust alignment, then drop all hammers onto the iron.

I use a support in the middle as well (not pictured in the photos). This was just something that occurred to me as I had two 6' lengths of 1/8" x 3/4" angle hanging around for another purpose (that I ended up not needing). There are lots of other options for material, some of which might be better.

-------------------------------------------
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm@unm.edu
http://fredsturm.net
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination." - Einstein
-------------------------------------------