Pianotech

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

------------------------------
Daniel Achten
Chattanooga TN
423-760-2458
------------------------------

Let's look at your note 51 example. 

Original BW 44.5.  (54/35)
New BW 51.  (62/40)
FW 13.4. (Maximum FW ~25)

What this means is that your original BW was high but the Action Ratio:SW relationship was pretty good.  In the original setup, if you dropped the BW to a midrange like 37, then you would have to raise the FW by 7.5 grams giving you a new FW of ~21 (13.4 +7.5). That is 84% of FW maximum and pretty ideal. 

But now you've installed a new hammer which is almost two grams heavier. Now you have a BW of 51 and to reduce that to 37 you would have to raise the FW by 14 grams to 27.4. Now you are 110% off FW maximum. 

What that basically means is that your action ratio to strike weight relationship is now poor. You have to either reduce the action ratio or the SW.  Assuming your AR is about 5 that means that removing .5 grams from the SW would reduce your balance weight by 2.5 grams. Transferring that to the FW it means to maintain a 37 BW you could lower the FW to 25 grams which is now 100% of FW maximum. That means your inertia would be on the high side but acceptable. I would probably prefer an action ratio lowering to get the FW down to 85% off maximum but this will be ok.  

When it comes to determining the BW recall that the DW simply means the minimum force required to actuate the key. The actual force required to "play" the key will vary depending on the degree to which the hammer is accelerated. More acceleration requires more force.  So where you set the BW is less important than the SW AR relationship which determines inertia, or the resistance to acceleration.

A lower BW means that the player will be able to play pianissimo with less effort (lower BW low acceleration) than with a higher BW. At fortissimo it won't make much difference. 

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

Let's look at your note 51 example. 

Original BW 44.5.  (54/35)
New BW 51.  (62/40)
FW 13.4. (Maximum FW ~25)

What this means is that your original BW was high but the Action Ratio:SW relationship was pretty good.  In the original setup, if you dropped the BW to a midrange like 37, then you would have to raise the FW by 7.5 grams giving you a new FW of ~21 (13.4 +7.5). That is 84% of FW maximum and pretty ideal. 

But now you've installed a new hammer which is almost two grams heavier. Now you have a BW of 51 and to reduce that to 37 you would have to raise the FW by 14 grams to 27.4. Now you are 110% off FW maximum. 

What that basically means is that your action ratio to strike weight relationship is now poor. You have to either reduce the action ratio or the SW.  Assuming your AR is about 5 that means that removing .5 grams from the SW would reduce your balance weight by 2.5 grams. Transferring that to the FW it means to maintain a 37 BW you could lower the FW to 25 grams which is now 100% of FW maximum. That means your inertia would be on the high side but acceptable. I would probably prefer an action ratio lowering to get the FW down to 85% off maximum but this will be ok.  

When it comes to determining the BW recall that the DW simply means the minimum force required to actuate the key. The actual force required to "play" the key will vary depending on the degree to which the hammer is accelerated. More acceleration requires more force.  So where you set the BW is less important than the SW AR relationship which determines inertia, or the resistance to acceleration.

A lower BW means that the player will be able to play pianissimo with less effort (lower BW low acceleration) than with a higher BW. At fortissimo it won't make much difference. 

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

------------------------------
Daniel Achten
Chattanooga TN
423-760-2458
------------------------------

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

------------------------------
Daniel Achten
Chattanooga TN
423-760-2458
------------------------------

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

------------------------------
Daniel Achten
Chattanooga TN
423-760-2458
------------------------------

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

------------------------------
Daniel Achten
Chattanooga TN
423-760-2458
------------------------------

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

------------------------------
Daniel Achten
Chattanooga TN
423-760-2458
------------------------------

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

------------------------------
Daniel Achten
Chattanooga TN
423-760-2458
------------------------------

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

------------------------------
Daniel Achten
Chattanooga TN
423-760-2458
------------------------------

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

------------------------------
Daniel Achten
Chattanooga TN
423-760-2458
------------------------------

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

------------------------------
Daniel Achten
Chattanooga TN
423-760-2458
------------------------------

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

------------------------------
Daniel Achten
Chattanooga TN
423-760-2458
------------------------------

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

------------------------------
Daniel Achten
Chattanooga TN
423-760-2458
------------------------------

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

------------------------------
Daniel Achten
Chattanooga TN
423-760-2458
------------------------------

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

------------------------------
Daniel Achten
Chattanooga TN
423-760-2458
------------------------------

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

------------------------------
Daniel Achten
Chattanooga TN
423-760-2458
------------------------------

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

Another thought, Daniel

Check the keyframe bedding and key height. I find that a lot of the time, the glides may be down too far giving a higher KH, or the KH may be set too high. Dead giveaway is number of cardboard/paper punching sunder front rail felt. I have found instances of both glides down too far and keys set too high. This sets the key front up higher creating the need for more effort to start the key moving. Getting the correct KH after correctly bedding the keyframe puts the key closer to horizontal, requiring less effort to start the move.

After making sure the glides are set correctly, check KH. I have found S&Ss with 2-3/4" at the middle of the keyboard. Too high. I use business card(s) to shim under the back rail felt at the A3-E4 area, regulate a couple of notes to see what improvements there are. Usually get an even better regulation as well as less effort. 

Haven't gone to MA to see David Starwood yet, but just relating my experiences.

Chuck

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

Another thought, Daniel

Check the keyframe bedding and key height. I find that a lot of the time, the glides may be down too far giving a higher KH, or the KH may be set too high. Dead giveaway is number of cardboard/paper punching sunder front rail felt. I have found instances of both glides down too far and keys set too high. This sets the key front up higher creating the need for more effort to start the key moving. Getting the correct KH after correctly bedding the keyframe puts the key closer to horizontal, requiring less effort to start the move.

After making sure the glides are set correctly, check KH. I have found S&Ss with 2-3/4" at the middle of the keyboard. Too high. I use business card(s) to shim under the back rail felt at the A3-E4 area, regulate a couple of notes to see what improvements there are. Usually get an even better regulation as well as less effort. 

Haven't gone to MA to see David Starwood yet, but just relating my experiences.

Chuck

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

Another thought, Daniel

Check the keyframe bedding and key height. I find that a lot of the time, the glides may be down too far giving a higher KH, or the KH may be set too high. Dead giveaway is number of cardboard/paper punching sunder front rail felt. I have found instances of both glides down too far and keys set too high. This sets the key front up higher creating the need for more effort to start the key moving. Getting the correct KH after correctly bedding the keyframe puts the key closer to horizontal, requiring less effort to start the move.

After making sure the glides are set correctly, check KH. I have found S&Ss with 2-3/4" at the middle of the keyboard. Too high. I use business card(s) to shim under the back rail felt at the A3-E4 area, regulate a couple of notes to see what improvements there are. Usually get an even better regulation as well as less effort. 

Haven't gone to MA to see David Starwood yet, but just relating my experiences.

Chuck

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

Another thought, Daniel

Check the keyframe bedding and key height. I find that a lot of the time, the glides may be down too far giving a higher KH, or the KH may be set too high. Dead giveaway is number of cardboard/paper punching sunder front rail felt. I have found instances of both glides down too far and keys set too high. This sets the key front up higher creating the need for more effort to start the key moving. Getting the correct KH after correctly bedding the keyframe puts the key closer to horizontal, requiring less effort to start the move.

After making sure the glides are set correctly, check KH. I have found S&Ss with 2-3/4" at the middle of the keyboard. Too high. I use business card(s) to shim under the back rail felt at the A3-E4 area, regulate a couple of notes to see what improvements there are. Usually get an even better regulation as well as less effort. 

Haven't gone to MA to see David Starwood yet, but just relating my experiences.

Chuck

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel

Hello everyone,

I am concerned I will wind up with higher than comfortable inertia. 

I am working on a S&S B. I have hung new hammers on new shanks.

The piano is 15-20 years old but was in fairly good shape. It was in a nice cathedral style church with a good pianist who was pleased with the instruments touch and tone. As an aside to this post there was a repetition issue which made us decide to replace hammers, shanks and back checks.

I have hung new S&S hammers on new shanks. I trim, bore, and taper them myself and they progress in weight pretty evenly. Dimensionally  they are 11mm at the felt and middle of molding and then taper to 8mm at end of tail. Hammer Pinning is 3g from factory. Old pinning was 2g and less if I remember correctly.  Wippen pinning is about 2g. I'm Keeping wippens.

The original set up from the factory was low on the Stanwood chart and is now at the top of middle. I expected to have plenty of head room because of the low original weight but it looks like I'll be at top-middle in the Stanwood chart which is the bottom of concert weight. As an example note 51 is as follows: SW was 8.4g and now is 10.1. FW was and still is 13.4g  (very low as far as anything I have been able to read and understand. Correct me if I am wrong). Only 2 leads with a chaser in the bass. DW/UW was 54/35 and is now 62/40. Friction on all samples is an average of 12g. This note is the average example for all my samples. 

I have experimented with possibly lightening the hammers but I don't see a way to remove 1-2 grams. I think I can get 0.5 gram. I have tried to trim sides to less than 11mm, considered thinning tail thickness but don't want to make them weak and it seems I would have to take off a fair amount. Treble shanks are already thinned by the factory.

To get balance weight down I need to add key leads in any case as far as I understand.

Here are some questions:

1. Can the piano have a lovely touch with a slightly high DW if the BW and inertia are comfortable?
2. Any suggestions for proceeding?
3. What does replacing brass capstans with WNG to lighten things up accomplish? I have a colleague who has done this. It would lower DW but not strike weight. But what about inertia?

I might be looking at all the numbers cross eyed too or inexperience might be leading me astray.

Thanks!

Daniel