What would Steinway do

[Andrew and Rebeca Anderson]

Terry,
I think a hammer rail that is about 1.5" thick as heavy.  Engineered 
wood is wood glued up in laminations, ideally this is much less 
vulnerable to flexing a crown with humidity changes.  There will be, 
of-course, some of the usual tightening and loosening of screws in wood.

Andrew Anderson

At 09:30 AM 3/5/2007, you wrote:
>In the world of all-wood rails, I have only seen solid wood (usually 
>hard maple). What is a "heavy engineered wood" rail?
>
>Terry Farrell
>
>----- Original Message -----
>>The brass clad rails aren't as bad as the aluminum rails for just 
>>plain clunky action noise which can take over in pianissimo 
>>playing.  The fine pianos I've encountered use heavy engineered 
>>wood rails to resist dimensional movement with the climate and they 
>>have quiet actions.  The little brass clad rails are rather 
>>flexible under exuberant playing. There have been instructions 
>>posted to couple them to help stiffen them a little by coupling two 
>>rails.  They are also difficult to get solid alignment on 
>>especially when you want to reduce casting a little.
>>
>>Andrew Anderson
>>
>>At 10:52 PM 3/4/2007, you wrote:
>>
>>>>Just curious, and something I've always wondered about - what do 
>>>>you think are the advantages/disadvantages of wooden action rails 
>>>>vs. metal vs. metal-clad hardwood?
>>>>Terry Farrell
>>>
>>>For me, stiffness, and ease of traveling and alignment with wooden 
>>>rails. The question is, what is the justification for brass clad 
>>>tubular action rails?
>>>Ron N
>