Avery Todd wrote: > > Warren, > > Now why hadn't I thought of that? After all the times I've struggled to > get the wire out of the dummy pin! Good idea. > > Avery Avery, It is a good idea, but not mine. I think Spurlock did it. I've made three of the darn things, but still can never find one when I need it! I just use any pin laying around as a dummy and getting the wire out is simple when you know how. First, wind a coil just like you would to re-string a piano on to a full length pin. Next remove the pin from coiler and hold it in your left hand (if you're right-handed) with the becket up and your forefinger pressing the coil flush to the pin so that the becket is backed as far out of the hole as possible. Then use your needle nosed pliers to grab the becket right next to pin and inside the coil (the pliers need narrow tips). Line the plier up with the pin and holding the pin firmly with the left hand pry the becket out against the top of the tuning pin! Pry just to the point where you can pull the coil over the top of the pin. About half of the becket should be sticking into the center of the coil when you get it off. If not, you'll have trouble inserting the becket into the destination pin. Cut it off and try again. Care should be taken to not insert the plier too far or you will open up the coil. It takes me about 5 seconds to pry the coil off the dummy and 10 to install it in the piano if the pins aren't too close together. If you practice on about ten coils in a row, you won't have any more trouble with it. Once it's in the piano, turn the pin with the coil you installed second (the loose one!) 1/4 turn, use your parallel pliers (no teeth) to press the becket into the hole, and then do the same with the other pin. Pluck the strings, then turn the pin with the sharpest string 1/8 turn tighter then back so that beckets point in the same direction. Repluck the strings and you will find the strings very close in pitch. If not, do it again. When you get the strings up to pitch you will have both the beckets pointing in the same direction. If you are consistent in how you cut your wire, it'll look like a factory job! Good Luck! Warren -- Warren D. Fisher fish@communique.net Registered Piano Technician Piano Technicians Guild New Orleans Chapter 701
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