Changing Grommet Washers included in MajorKey Grommet kit

[absent]

I am in the middle of changing my tone fork's grommets.

I just noticed the major key grommet kit came with *different* washers than the stock ones; at first I thought they were simply replacements. I have been using the stock  washers with the new grommets.

Is this going to be detrimental? Should I go in and put the *new* washers (since they appear to be included to better seat the grommets)?


Thanks,

William Price

[Ben Bove]

I'm not familiar with the kit offhand, but there was talk of the original washers allowing some shifting in the tonebar mechanism, thus the Mark V has "locking" washers where they are concave, thus holding the screw better.  

Either I'm sure will work well, the "locking" may be better if that's whats included in the kit.

[McCoy]

The rubber of the grommets deforms after years. AFAIK the new cupped washers help provide deformation of the gromets, the grommets will not be compressed so hard as with the flat washers . Hard compression and deformation causes bad sustain of the tines. But the cupped washers probably don't fit to the old screws, you have to change the screws too, use flathead screws.

#8 1 1/2  inch wood flat-head screws
#6 finish washers (cupped).

(these infos come from the rhodes-tech-group, I haven't done it myself yet)

McCoy





(mcmaster.com: washers No.:  98466A007 and screws No.: 90294A203)

[dnarkosis]

Concerning the #8 screws and #6 washers, let me copy and paste the following from my blog:

Note concerning the inexact fit between the #6 cupped washer and #8 screw head (from John Della Vecchia):

"It is because the cup washer is a #8 on the Mark V with a #8 wood screw. The reason we use #6 cup washer now (which is smaller) is because it surrounds the McMaster grommet perfectly - same diameter - so there is no chance for "squashing" to take place. This is at the expense of putting a #8 screw into a #6 washer - hence the protrusion."

McMasterCarr does indeed also carry the

Countersunk Finishing Washer #8 Screw Size, 7/32 " OD: part # 98466A009

which will fit the #8 screw better.

I'm unsure how well they fit the McMaster grommet head.

You can check my blog at
http://kosis.blog4ever.com/blog/lirarticle-42357-141670.html
to see a picture of the "misfit" John is talking about, which does not, however, affect the efficacy of the grommets.

[absent]

[quote="McCoy".... Hard compression and deformation causes bad sustain of the tines. But the cupped washers probably don't fit to the old screws, you have to change the screws too, use flathead screws.

Yeah, I went through and did them all already. After cotemplating the harp fopr about five minutes after I startted this topic, it was obvious that the new screws were a better fit; I replaced all the harp screws. It made a heck of a difference.

Now if only I could fix the harp bracket vs. tonebar slap!

[Ben Bove]

really, the method everyone uses is to slightly bend it out of the way.  It doesn't hurt your piano, don't be shy!

[absent]

really, the method everyone uses is to slightly bend it out of the way.  It doesn't hurt your piano, don't be shy!

That's pretty much what I already am experimenting with- trust me, I am NOT shy about making "adjustments" of this sort!

I think some of my clunk is coming from bad hammer tips as well. I am going to finish installing the new hammer tips before I make any more adjustments; O.Lahoz has said new hammer tips alleviated much of the bad extra noises and overtones.
I'll keep you guys posted! right now, the grommets, screws, and washers have all been replaced and the hammer tips have been removed; I hope to pickup a spade tip for my Xacto today to take care of the last remaining bits of hammer tip, but I also have band practice to prepare for tonight (setting up the new rig for our key player).

[McCoy]

By the way, does anybody know the exact denotations of these damned washers and screws in cm instead of inches?

McCoy