Schaff Tuning Levers

[Don Mannino]

I have been using a Schaff rosewood extension lever for a few years now.
I also experienced some loosening of the tip at first which I attributed
to threads not mating well.  After about a year of snugging it up, the
problem stopped.

I should say that I do not tune all that much, though, so were I tuning
many pianos daily the threads may also have become damaged as yours
were.

Don Mannino RPT

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Elwood Doss, Jr. [mailto:edoss@utm.edu] 
> Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2003 7:37 AM
> To: College and University Technicians
> Subject: Re: Schaff Tuning Levers
> 
> 
> Yes, the first one I purchased 14 years ago gave me similar 
> problems.  It was one of their top-of-the-line hardwood 
> handle ones.  It got better--I kept it and still use it.  I 
> found that I had the problem after I tried to use a Hale tip 
> on the extension handle.  I had a problem with a nylon 
> extension lever--the head would not tighten up.  I sent it 
> back, received a
> refund, and ordered a hardwood handle one from Pianotek.   I 
> use it here at
> work all the time and have been pleased.  I think it was a 
> Watanabe extension hammer.  Their Watanabe stationary hammers 
> are only around $80.  I think Schaff and Pianotek prices are 
> comparable on these items.  Hope this helps.
> 
> Joy!
> Elwood
> 
> Elwood Doss, Jr., RPT
> Technical Director/Piano Technician
> Department of Music
> 106 Fine Arts Building
> University of Tennessee at Martin
> 731/587-1152
> ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jeff Tanner" <jtanner@mozart.music.sc.edu>
> To: "College Technicians" <caut@ptg.org>
> Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2003 9:08 AM
> Subject: Schaff Tuning Levers
> 
> 
> > Hi all,
> > I'm wondering if anyone else has ever encountered the problem with 
> > Schaff Tuning levers that I have.  I recently ordered a #16 nylon 
> > handle extension lever for my student assistant.  He's 
> buying it for 
> > his own personal tool, so it ought to be something that 
> will last him 
> > a while.
> >
> > The problem I've had is that, besides the sloppy fit of the tip on 
> > tuning pins I've fussed about before, the threads on the shaft and 
> > inside the head somehow don't work together they way they should.  
> > When you first use it, the head begins working itself loose 
> from the 
> > shaft, and continues to do so after you continue retightening it.  
> > Soon, the threads on the tip of the shaft have become 
> scarred up, and 
> > inside the head as well.
> >
> > It is not a cross-threading problem.  It seems to have more 
> to do with 
> > the tapering of the threads not matching up, so that the tip of the 
> > shaft tightens down, but the head is not tight.  The threads on the 
> > tip of the shaft simply grind away into the head.  It gets 
> so bad that 
> > you can't use it, and it starts happening with the first piano you 
> > tune.
> >
> > This has been a real problem with every Schaff tuning lever 
> I've ever 
> > used.  I own another Schaff lever (#6) I bought about 10 years ago 
> > I've never been able to use because of this problem (and the tip 
> > problem). I complained to them about it then, and they replaced it, 
> > but they wanted to act like I'd cross threaded the head onto the 
> > shaft.  But that is not the problem.  We had an apprentice 
> model (#8) 
> > at my alma mater for the students to use and it did exactly 
> the same 
> > thing.
> >
> > Anybody else seen this? or am I doing something wrong?  It 
> has never 
> > occurred with the APSCO hammers I bought.  But I can't buy 
> from APSCO 
> > anymore.  What to do about it?  If I send it back, they'll just 
> > replace it with another one which will do the same thing.  
> I went down 
> > that road with my Schaff lever 10 years ago.  And there's no other 
> > domestic tuning hammer manufacturer that an apprentice can 
> afford to 
> > buy from, and the imports cost twice as much.
> >
> > Oh, this doesn't include the fact that they increased the price of 
> > this hammer by more than 25% last month (a week before I 
> ordered this 
> > one).
> >
> > But I mainly wanted to find out if I'm the only one having this 
> > problem before I contact Schaff about it.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Jeff
> >
> > Jeff Tanner, RPT
> > School Of Music
> > University of South Carolina
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> >
> 
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