KS 16: Fixing Action Position on the Bench
Fixing Action Position on the Bench: Set up the action on a flat, stable surface. This will never be the same flat as the keybed, so don't worry about small imperfections....
Christopher Brown |
Chris Brown RPT
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KS 15: Strike Sampling
Strike Sampling: Strike is the three-dimensional target and principal index of grand regulating. It is the first line on the piano designer's drawing board. The keybed is a distance from it,...
Christopher Brown |
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KS 14: Bedding and Key Level Sampling
Bedding and Key Level Sampling: To turn a key into a bedding sample, remove its front punchings, install a Keystep, and turn that up to just touch. The key at...
Christopher Brown |
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KS 13: Preparing for Bedding, Key Level, and Strike Samples
Preparing for Bedding, Key Level, and Strike Samples: Choose which keys will be bedding samples, naturals only, one beside each glidebolt including hidden ones (glidebolts are the balancerail's points of...
Christopher Brown |
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KS 12: Solving Excessive Friction
Solve Excessive Friction: Friction is a necessary and useful component of piano action mechanics. Too much causes trouble in one direction and too little, trouble in the other. The best balance...
Christopher Brown |
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KS 11: Bedding and Action Elevations
Bedding and Action Elevations: Two requests for further thoughts came in this week: David Skolnick on "special problems created by a ‘collapsed’ rigid frame" and Alan Eder on "how to determine whether...
Christopher Brown |
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KS 10: Bedding the Balancerail
Bedding the Balancerail: There are three principal styles of grand keyframe balancerail - the stiff, Steinway/Mason & Hamlin style supported by adjustable glidebolts, the more flexible Asian style with glidebolts...
Christopher Brown |
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KS 9: Bedding the Frontrail
Bedding the Frontrail: So far, we have a clean keybed, an action with shanks off rest cushions and no excessive friction, screws not loose and no deal-breaking need for repairs,...
Christopher Brown |
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KS 8: Bedding the Backrail
Bedding the Backrail: How to proceed when a backrail tests positive for a gap? So far, with no excessive friction or need for repairs, the action has stayed together. Maybe it...
Christopher Brown |
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KS 7: Testing the Backrail Fit
Testing the Backrail Fit: With action fully assembled, keybed clean, spring out, cheekblocks bedded, and glidebolts off keybed, reach through dampers, strings, and action parts with a long screwdriver (or...
Christopher Brown |
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KS 6: Hidden Glidebolts
Hidden Glidebolts: Not all glidebolts show. Unless you are familiar with the make and model of a grand piano, it might be worth the extra effort to pull the action...
Christopher Brown |
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KS 5: Bedding the Cheekblocks
Bedding the Cheekblocks: What are the functions of a cheekblock? In a Steinway grand, a cheekblock provides three important services: positioning the action in-and-out for tone, side-to-side for soft-pedal shifting, and up-and-down to complete...
Christopher Brown |
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KS 4: How Flat is the Keybed?
How Flat is the Keybed? At the piano, with its action out and keybed clean, apply the flat side of your straightedge to the keybed's front, balance, and back rails for...
Christopher Brown |
