At the beginning of this project, my piano technician friend Jack recommended I read Regulating Grand Piano Touch and Tone by Danny L. Boone. It breaks the process down into 56 steps from reshaping the hammers to adjusting the pedals. I spent some time with it, but dove into the process with Bernard’s and Celeste’s help without really reading it all.
Continue reading →After the much-needed boost of demonstrating the Weber with rebuilt action at our piano gathering, I was eager to continue. Time to align the hammers so they centered on the strings and shifted correctly when the soto voce pedal (or “soft” pedal, on the left) was pressed.
Continue reading →We were hosting a group of our pianist friends on Saturday, and I hoped to have the action back together and with luck, installed in the piano for a little preliminary “plunking”. Time was short!
Continue reading →Back on track with the sharps refinish, let-off buttons and hammer rest repairs, I was looking forward to the last bits before reassembling the action: key leveling and key weights.
Continue reading →This far into the action rebuild, and I confess to a little project fatigue. After so many months, the end seemed to be receding into the distance. After the excitement of receiving new hammers, I lost a month to a California trip and other things around the ranch that needed attention, and it was a little hard to get my head back into the game.
Continue reading →Bringing all the pieces together, we assemble and test a complete off grid solar system—wiring panels, configuring the inverter, and proving it can run a real-world load.
Continue reading →Designing a solar battery bank isn’t just about capacity—it’s about balancing cost, weight, and real-world constraints. Here’s how we built a practical 48 volt battery system for our off-grid rainwater project.
Continue reading →Choosing the right solar inverter charge controller can make or break an off-grid system. This real-world project walks through sourcing a hybrid inverter, evaluating features, and navigating the challenges of overseas ordering and delivery.
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