broken hammer shank

[Newton Hunt]

Dear David,

If you did a nice neat glue up on a long split leave it alone.  If it
ain't broke dinna fix it.

If your glue joint is less than satisfactory then splice a piece of
upright hammer shank onto the old shank.  This obviates a need for a new
shank and the customer will be happy because nothing has changed.

Take a block about 1"x1.5"x3" and drill a hole lengthwise at the center
of the block.  This hole should be large enouigh to accept the grand
hammer shank, but just.  Take a Japanese saw and make a kerf
cutdiagonally and lengthwise on the 1.5" face from .5" from one corner
to .5" from the opposite corner through the hole.

Get two thumb screws and drill a holes at opposite sides and ends of the
1"sides, paerpendicular to the original hole, in the same plane such
that the screw will hold the shanks being cut from slipping.

You have just made a shank splicing machine.  John Ford used to sell
these things some years back. I have used mine many a time.

Use soda screws to line up the pieces cut and glue them togather with
hide glue, yellow glue or white glue.  The glue joint will hold because
there is sufficient non end grain to make a good a sufficient joint.

You can leave the straw in place until next tuning.

	Newton
	nhunt@jagat.com