Gustav Becker chime hammers

[glr1109]

I am working on a Gustav Becker Vienna Reg.. The "pads" in the hammers are missing and I was wondering what is used in their place.

I've tried Plasic(from an old hermle), wood, leather, but none of them work. Apparantly the pads are supposed to be made out of something harder.

Thanks
Greg

 

[glr1109]

I am working on a Gustav Becker Vienna Reg.. The "pads" in the hammers are missing and I was wondering what is used in their place.

I've tried Plasic(from an old hermle), wood, leather, but none of them work. Apparantly the pads are supposed to be made out of something harder.

Thanks
Greg

 

[Doug]

Hi Greg,

It looks like you have tried it all. If none sound right, I would check the gong rods, gong mounting and back board for tightness. You should have been able to get good sound from at least one of what you tried. Also make sure the hammers have about 1/8" free clearance between them and the rods when the hammers are at rest.

 

[glr1109]

I should have stated before...with the soft materials for pads, the sound is so soft you can't hear it chime. I've tried to strengthen the the "spring" action, but no real difference.

Tried it without pads and it sounds(although "clangy") has a good volume.

Greg

 

[Scottie-TX]

Just a coupla thoughts: Krazy Glue or any cyanoacrylite will also quickly harden a leather hammer. 2. Altho 1/8" is a reasonable distance, I have found the smallest gap produces the loudest sound but at very small gaps you can run into overstrike(bounce), etc.3. Increasing tension helps little it seems and also can result in total failure to strike if tension exceeds power to lift. Make sure rod base casting is extremely well secured to case. That provides the most effective transfer of sound-to-case.

 

[David Holk]

If you have a shoe repair shop near, beg the cobbler for his scraps from leather soles. this is an excellent source of hard leather.

David

 

[timerider]

I use leather lathe belt for hammer tips, and press it in with the bench vise the more you tighten it the harder the leather becomes.