[CAUT] CAUT String Repair Class....was unusual repair

[Wolfley, Eric (wolfleel)]

Fred,

 

I've always used the short piece of existing wire I guess because I'm
too lazy to go get wire...also, I think part of the beauty of splicing
(besides all of the other advantages) is the immediacy of it. You break
a wire and then take care of it right then and there. It almost always
takes less than 10 minutes and I've done it in as little as 5 when
everything is going right. This includes straightening all the bends,
leveling the strings and pounding the note until the pitch has pretty
well stabilized. I've had strings break at so many inopportune times
that I just keep the couple of extra tools with me at all times. I had
to splice F2 (#21 wire) on a Steinway D recently the day before a
Concerto. I did have to make a trip to get wire for that splice because
it broke at the tuning pin but even this difficult splice took 15
minutes once I had the wire. It was 100% stable by the next day.

 

We have the perfect set-up to practice splicing (practice rooms) and I
strongly urge everyone to take advantage and hone that skill for the
time where it could save a performance.

 

BTW, of the possibly hundreds of splices here, I find it extremely rare
for a spliced string to break again or fail in any way.

 

Eric

 

Eric Wolfley, RPT 
Head Piano Technician 
Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music 
University of Cincinnati 

________________________________

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Fred Sturm
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 10:09 AM
To: ed440 at mindspring.com; College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT String Repair Class....was unusual repair

 

Hi Ed,

            I wonder if I could ask for a wee bit of clarification. I am
with you except for step 5. In step 5, do you make your loop in the long
wire, then insinuate the becket through it, following with the rest of
the short wire? Or do you have some technique for creating the loop in
the long wire "around" the short wire? (BTW, I would add to your
instructions for 1 and 2 "while applying tension to the strings -
pulling on them to start unwinding the coil" or something a bit better
worded). 

            I have never considered using the short piece of existing
wire, myself, thinking it too much trouble, and that the difference in
"stretchability" wouldn't be that big compared to a new piece of wire.
Of course, you waste some time going to get that piece of wire, but I
don't carry around  my splicing tools on my tuning rounds at the U, so
it isn't an extra trip for me. But it's a trick that might come in handy
some day.

            FWIW, a normal splice takes me a bit less time than a full
string replacement. Once I read Bill Spurlock's article, maybe 15 years
ago, I became an immediate expert <G>.

Regards,

Fred Sturm

University of New Mexico

fssturm at unm.edu

 





 

On Feb 23, 2007, at 7:58 PM, ed440 at mindspring.com wrote:





Sid-

 

This is for strings that break at the capo bar: 

 

1) Back off the pin with the long string two turns.

 

2) Back off the pin with the short piece 1 and 1/2 turns.

 

3) Remove the short piece of wire and straighten it.  Don't straighten
the becket bend.  Grab it in vice grips and make a loop, as close to the
wire diameter as you can. Bend the loop up almost 90 degrees to the
wire.  (You are reversing the short piece.  What used to be the becket
is now the splice.)

 

4) Go to the back of the piano.  Grab the long wire in the vice grips
and pull it straight back, hard.  Straighten out the hitch pin bend.

 

5) Slip the short loop on the long wire and make the second loop on the
long wire, very close to the end.

 

6) Grab the end of the short piece in the vice grips and pull the loop
tight (still toward the back of the piano.)

 

7) Cut the excess side points of the splice close to the loops.

 

8) Pull the wire straight to the hitch pin and bend it around.

 

9) Feed the wire under the capo bar, make a coil on a dummy pin and snap
it onto the tuning pin.

 

10)  Begin to add tension on the splice side of the string, watching to
make sure the splice clears the v-bar and comes out on the front side.
(Both loops of the splice must be clear, not just one.)

 

11) Snap the string between the appropriate bridge pins and space at the
front bearings. (Loosen tension a little if needed to get the wire
between the bridge pins.)

 

12) Pull to pitch, settle the string (pinch becket, pull up coils, tap
at the hitch pin) and pull to pitch again.  (If the concert starts in 5
minutes, pull a little bit over pitch on the "good" side, and a little
bit more over pitch on the spliced side.  Or if you prefer, wedge off
the repair and come back in a day.)

 

Once you suspend your disbelief this repair is.....a cinch.

 

Ed

 

-----Original Message-----

	From: Sid Blum <piano at sover.net>

	Sent: Feb 23, 2007 5:46 PM

	To: ed440 at mindspring.com, College and University Technicians
<caut at ptg.org>

	Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT String Repair Class....was unusual
repair

	 

	Ed-

	 

	This is the first I've heard about splicing treble wire.  Please
explain.

	 

	Thanks,

	 

	Sid

	 

	 

		This thread leads me to think there needs to be a class
in advanced 

		string repair for CAUTs (and others).

		 

		My experience has been that splicing almost always
produces the best 

		repair.  It stabilizes quickly and has the right timbre
to match the 

		other strings. This includes bass strings spliced in the
speaking 

		length and treble strings spliced in the front duplex.
It is also 

		the fastest repair.

		 

		These repairs aren't hard to learn, given a bit of
commitment to practice.

		 

		The Technical Exam Source Book has an extensive article
on splicing. 

		It's a good place to start.

		 

		Correct repairs of loose tuning pins and correct string
winding and 

		seating procedures also need to be addressed.  I am
doing some 

		contract repairs at a college where many treble strings
have been 

		incorrectly replaced.  It is a tuning stability
nightmare, and I am 

		beginning to think it is a waste of time to try to
stabilize a 

		string that was improperly installed to begin with.

		 

		Ed Sutton

	 

	 

	-- 

	Sid Blum

	sid at sover.net

 

 

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