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Damper spoon timing article

  • 1.  Damper spoon timing article

    Posted 08-16-2022 20:49
    I'm trying to find an article in the journal I saw before about timing of upright dampers. It used a turnbuckle to aid in the process. I tried the journal search tool, but it wasn't showing up in the results. If anybody knows what issue it is in please let me know.

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    Tim Michaels
    pianotechtim@gmail.com
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  • 2.  RE: Damper spoon timing article

    Posted 08-16-2022 21:29
    The thin tool for a combination handle is all you need. First get them lifting evenly with the pedal, then individually. It goes pretty fast, once you get the hang of it.

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    Regards,

    Jon Page
    mailto:jonpage@comcast.net
    http://www.pianocapecod.com
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Damper spoon timing article

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-17-2022 01:04
    You can also try setting the end spoons for each section, remove the action and set it on a table and then adjust the spoons by running a straight edge along the damper levers getting them all flush against the straight edge. Very fast if you're not adept at blind adjustments. I never did enough Upright regulation to get that good at spoon finding  and this method works very well  



    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Damper spoon timing article

    Posted 08-17-2022 07:10
    Usually, dampers are lifting early due to the felt compressing. Once the pedal lift is even, reach behind the wippen with the thin tool and hold it against the back of the damper lever. Press down the key while using the lever to bend the spoon away from the lever. I've found that pressing the key and moving the hammer to Let Off is enough. If you bend too far, it's easy enough to find the spoon, you might have to remove a key or two. 20 minutes.

    Try to locate the Spurlock article on upright damper adjustment.

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    Regards,

    Jon Page
    mailto:jonpage@comcast.net
    http://www.pianocapecod.com
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Damper spoon timing article

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-17-2022 08:09
    I remember the article in question.  A long bolt was secured with a nut in the top of the bass action bracket, and a combination of a turnbuckle and S-hook was arranged between the bolt and the end of the damper lift rod to fine tune the rod position in preparation for spoon bending.

    I used the search tool, and didn't find the article, but I didn't look for very long.  "Upright Dampers" only gave me one entry from Nov 2012.  "Vertical Dampers" offered more.  Just "Dampers" gave a lot more possibilities.  I sorted by year, and looked in the most likely date range, but if the article did get indexed properly, I did not look far enough back to find it.  It would have been from some time before 2012.

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    Floyd Gadd RPT
    Regina SK
    (306) 502-9103
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Damper spoon timing article

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-17-2022 08:23
    I remember a class by Keith Bowman, RPT & Mike Carraher in St. Louis where they demonstrated their technique using the turnbuckle.  They were selling their setup at a booth.  I believe the article may have been written by one of these two gentlemen.  I attended their class at this year's convention, but it was a two part class and I was unable to attend the second part which was specifically about upright dampers.

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    Paul McCloud, RPT
    Accutone Piano Service
    www.AccutonePianoService.com
    pavadasa@gmail.com
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Damper spoon timing article

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-17-2022 08:59
    Hi Tim.  I have accumulated an assortment of spoon benders over the years.
    Spoon benders

    They all have different angles.  The one in the handle works best for me.  Keep in mind that you could "customize" the bends in your tool to get it right.

    I remove the keys when I'm adjusting spoons.  It adds about 20 minutes to the time it takes to do the job but it makes it so much easier to get at the spoons.  I suppose that the time you spend removing and reinstalling the keys you wind up saving in the time it takes you to actually adjust the spoons.  Also, when the keys are out you can ask to customer if you can use their vacuum to clean the keybed.  That takes less than 5 minutes and you can charge a few extra bucks or just get some brownie points.

    The whippens will drop slightly when you remove the keys but that is not a problem.  You slip the tool onto the spoon and then grab the back end of the whippen with your free hand and lift the whippen to the point where the hammers starts to lift off the rest rail.  Then as you continue to lift the whippen you watch the damper.  You want the damper to start lifting about half way through the hammer stroke.  You make your adjustment to the spoon and check the timing by lifting the whippen till you get it right.  When you are adjusting the bass spoons where there isn't much clearance between the bass strings and the back of the whippens you have to insert the tool in at an angle and then lift the head of the tool up over the back of the whippen to get it onto the spoon.  Once you're tool is hooked onto the spoon you bring the handle around so it's straight.  This is so much easier to do when the keys aren't in the way.

    One final note.  If you are only adjusting a couple of spoons you probably don't need to remove the keys.  If you do only remove those keys that are in your way.  Also Jon Page is right, always adjust the dampers to the pedal first.  It might turn out you don't need to adjust the spoons.


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    John Gunderson RPT
    Neptune City NJ
    (732) 740-6674
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Damper spoon timing article

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-17-2022 09:30
    One more final thought.  Make sure the capstans are properly adjusted before messing with the spoons.

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    John Gunderson RPT
    Neptune City NJ
    (732) 740-6674
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Damper spoon timing article

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-17-2022 10:27
    Hi Tim,

    I couldn't find that article (but I remember it).?? However, I did find a
    subsequent article, "Bench Regulating Damper Spoons", by Linda Marten in
    which she describes the procedure (but doesn't credit her source).
    It's in the Mar., '09 PTG Journal.?? Here's the link to that issue:

    https://my.ptg.org/HigherLogic/System/DownloadDocumentFile.ashx?DocumentFileKey=cb45cb3a-b313-486d-8cc3-da3268e92a20&forceDialog=0

    You might well read Bill Spurlock's article, "Vertical Piano Damper
    Replacement", in which he talks about using this particular jig.
    It's in the Jul., '90 PTG Journal.?? Here's the link to that issue:

    https://my.ptg.org/HigherLogic/System/DownloadDocumentFile.ashx?DocumentFileKey=51fe3b2a-0d15-be80-e3e3-d7ad194bc451&forceDialog=0


    All the best,
    __Alan Crane, RPT
    316-680-7435?? cell/txt
    alan2crane@gmail.com



    On 8/16/22 19:49, Timothy Michaels via Piano Technicians Guild wrote:
    > I'm trying to find an article in the journal I saw before about timing of upright dampers. It used a turnbuckle to aid in the process. I tried the journal search tool, but it wasn't showing up in the results. If anybody knows what issue it is in please let me know.
    >
    > ------------------------------
    > Tim Michaels
    > pianotechtim@gmail.com
    > ------------------------------
    >
    >
    > Reply to Sender : https://my.ptg.org/eGroups/PostReply/?GroupId=43&MID=754447&SenderKey=4e90ea10-7a5f-47fb-808d-d9f90d9f280a
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    > Reply to Discussion : https://my.ptg.org/eGroups/PostReply/?GroupId=43&MID=754447
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Damper spoon timing article

    Posted 08-18-2022 03:24

    The article by Linda Marten is what I was looking for! Thanks for finding it  


    Thanks everybody for all the helpful advice. 



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    Tim Michaels
    pianotechtim@gmail.com
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    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Damper spoon timing article

    Member
    Posted 08-17-2022 10:45
    "Vertical Piano Damper Replacement: Part II" by Bill Spurlock, July 1990 page 17 - includes a turnbuckle on pg 18

    "Peace and Quiet, Part 2: Vertical Dampers" by Andrew Remillard, January 2005 page 16

    "I Don't Own a Spoon Bender" by Wim Blees, Feb 2007 page 20

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    Jason Kanter
    Lynnwood WA
    (425) 830-1561
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    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Damper spoon timing article

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-17-2022 11:45
    The author was Bill Spurlock. He has many technical articles on his website. I think you can find it there as well.

    Joe Wiencek
    NYC


    Original Message