Hey y'all!
I know Ross Schaeffer is using an iteration of Blanton style bell cranks on the new Sierras he builds, but otherwise most builders seem to opt for designs that offer a more limited range of adjustment. Is there a "con" to the Blanton threaded rod adjustment that outweighs the "pro" of being able to make very fine adjustments? I can sort of imagine how, if poorly executed, the pull rod might not stay in whatever position it was adjusted to - travelling up and down the threads etc. - but that's all I can think of...
Thanks!!
Blanton-style bellcranks
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rogerogrant
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- Location: Austin, TX...y'all!
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Ross Shafer
- Posts: 189
- Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2009 11:52 am
Re: Blanton-style bellcranks
oops
Last edited by Ross Shafer on Wed Nov 14, 2018 10:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Ross Shafer
- Posts: 189
- Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2009 11:52 am
Re: Blanton-style bellcranks
I and everyone who has messed with the new Sierra's consider adjustable bell cranks to be the bomb. FYI, the adjustability in Blanton's bell cranks were actually for tuning the pulls (no tuning avail. at the end of the rods) and not for timing. I've read that when tuned the timing worked out...not sure how that could be, but I s'pose if the moon, stars, pull distance, string gauge and changer position all lined up it could happen.
The Blanton bell cranks were wide enough that the rods had to splay outward from the changer for everything to fit. Not a big deal but would seem to enhance wear at the changer end since the fingers are not all being pulled at 90 degrees to their pivot. This was the biggest hurdle to overcome in my design, to keep the whole bell crank with rod attached as narrow as the changer spacing so all the rods can pull at 90 degrees to the changer pivot and be parallel to each other. To do so requires some pretty small parts and some precise machining.
The only drawback I can think of to my bell cranks is the cost to make them and the amount of parts entailed ( 7 pcs per bell crank including the fasteners).
Tom Baker who did all the assembly at Sierra for many years was super stoked the first time he messed with them. He said he was able to time pulls that could never be optimized before. I've had more than one experienced steel tech say that all steels should have them.
Oh yeah, they'd have to be pretty poorly designed to self adjust, mine have a little nylon nut that holds the adjuster screw in place and acts as a drag bushing similar to that found in a nylok nut to ensure there's no way they can self adjust.
The Blanton bell cranks were wide enough that the rods had to splay outward from the changer for everything to fit. Not a big deal but would seem to enhance wear at the changer end since the fingers are not all being pulled at 90 degrees to their pivot. This was the biggest hurdle to overcome in my design, to keep the whole bell crank with rod attached as narrow as the changer spacing so all the rods can pull at 90 degrees to the changer pivot and be parallel to each other. To do so requires some pretty small parts and some precise machining.
The only drawback I can think of to my bell cranks is the cost to make them and the amount of parts entailed ( 7 pcs per bell crank including the fasteners).
Tom Baker who did all the assembly at Sierra for many years was super stoked the first time he messed with them. He said he was able to time pulls that could never be optimized before. I've had more than one experienced steel tech say that all steels should have them.
Oh yeah, they'd have to be pretty poorly designed to self adjust, mine have a little nylon nut that holds the adjuster screw in place and acts as a drag bushing similar to that found in a nylok nut to ensure there's no way they can self adjust.
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Ross Shafer
- Posts: 189
- Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2009 11:52 am
Re: Blanton-style bellcranks
I just noticed that you're located in Austin. An Austin steeler named Michael Small (aka memphislim, on the Steel guitar Forum) has a new Sierra, he's also done lot's of setup and repair work on steels work on steels. If you're interested, you could reach out to him through the Steel Guitar Forum to get the skinny on adjustable bell cranks from someone who knows them well.