Mark and others, I "knew" I'd get at least a few to 'fess up. :-) Enjoyed the story. At least mine happened in the shop with plenty of time to put in a new shank, etc. I doubt CA would have worked in this case because it broke off about flush with the hole in the hammer. Another lesson learned the hard way. Avery >Avery, you made my day. I've made a point of sharing my most famous mistakes >with colleagues. The year 2000 was capped (after all these years) with a >pinblock inadvertantly placed wrong way around under the drill press, and >some treble hammers with a bore length of 49mm @ #88, and some "55mm" by >#73, when I finally remembered which fastener remained to be tightened!? > >About the time you think we have the beginnings here of a steller resumé, >the big faculty recital rolls around, last Tuesday PM. All players are >generously sharing with me exactly what it is they need for their "Chopin," >their "Liszt," etc. > >Fifteen minutes to curtain, touch-up tuning complete, and I'm chopsticking >some of their last-minute requests into the new Renners (yes, gulp, on new >shanks). A couple notes need a little more chiding than I can provide >through the strings, so out on my lap comes the action; stitch, stitch, >stitch, and back in goes the,... (sickening wooden crunch sound)! > >Ten minutes to curtain, what to do!? I have the old "Blues" on the shanks >numbered, downstairs in the shop. I would have to regulate it in, and who >knows about the tone? (as you mentioned, this is not any old #1 or #88!)I >opt for the super glue; saturated plus catylist. It starts out rubbery, then >begins to set up. By this time I feel the need to begin running up the >stairs. > >This is not a good time to pass performers in the hall! Something about >seeing the tuner running towards the stage with a look of sheer >terror,whilst breathing profusely a lone hammer dangling between thumb and >forefinger, does nothing to help settle even a seasoned pianist's >pre-performance jitters! > >Murphy's Law postulates that the major works either had to be in the key of >E, or in a key related even more closely, than "my brother Darryl and my >other brother Darryl." > >I sat on the edge of my seat till first intermission, calculating over and >over how many seconds it would take to run to the shop grab the old #20,... >I exhaled once. > >The end of piano works (second half) was signalled fittingly with the final >crashing chords of Liszt's "Funeraille." > >The next morning, I cleaned the glue joint from the wounded part, and used a >puller to extract the hammerhead. I was very pleased that the shank came out >in one peice. > >Not saying I would rely on the same repair in the same predicament, but not >entirely sure I wouldn't. > >I'm often telling my assistants "it's not about 'not' making mistakes," or >who could measure up? Summoning all available craft to produce a cunning >(not to mention adequately redemptive) repair is the art. > >The D now has 87 new shanks,.. and one newer one. And yes, I believe it was >the horn that did me in. > >Club membership kit is in the mail, Avery. :>) > >Mark Cramer, >Brandon University >>List, >> >>Anyone ever break off a hammer while sliding the action in and out? >>Yeah, I know. We all probably have at one time or another. >> >>Well, the last time I did was probably 20 years ago so so. Until a >>few minutes ago! :-) The unusual aspect is that it isn't # 1 or #88 >>as usual, but E2. Right at the tenor break, bass side! How in the >>#$%^&&** did I manage to break off "that" hammer? :-( >> >>Oh well, better now, in my shop, than just before a concert! >> >>Avery (while waiting for the glue pot to heat up)
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