If it weren't for bad luck...

[Conrad Hoffsommer]

Ever have one of those days?

        Yesterday after work at my regular employer's I went to the
home of one of the piano professors, who is also a good friend.
She has a 1915 vintage S&S O which she bought about 6 years ago from a
rebuilder.

She, besides noting that it needed tuning, said that there wasn't any
let-off and wondered if there was anything "global" I could do to help
it. (i.e.-quick and cheap) - no problem, I'm thinking...

When I got there, I saw that the hammer line was low w/all the shanks
resting on the sugarloaves. I also was reminded that it has those big
capstans. I knew I didn't have the tool with me in my little tuning kit,
and I hadn't packed up all my supplies, so I thought I'd tune it and
be back later after dinner with the tool and finish up. (3 mile round-
trip)

Over dinner time, my future-ex dropped by to pick up her share of the
Tupper collection. I had stored it in my basement garage, along w/2
pianos and a bunch of lumber. I discovered when I opened the door that
the current snowmelt had made a wading pool out of the center of the
floor. The upright wasn't directly in the water, but the grand (parked
on my new skid) was.

I had impure thoughts...

After moving soggy cardboard boxes of oak and maple scraps, and generally
trying to empty the pool, I returned to my friends house to set the
hammerline and let-off, etc.

After I had adjusted five capstans, the tool broke.

Not wishing to admit defeat, I improvised. I removed the stack, and
using my little (5") slip jaw pliers, turned all the capstans about
the same amount I thought I had on the first five. Replaced the stack
and saw it wasn't enough, and had to repeat the process.

Fifteen minute job stretched to 1 1/2 hours... I charged for how long
it _should_ have taken. (She jokingly said she was getting worried.)
It's not the beautiful hammerline that I like, but it works and I'll be
back when I get a new tool.

--
Conrad Hoffsommer, RPT     | hoffsoco@martin.luther.edu
Luther College             | (319)-387-1204
Decorah, Iowa 52101        | -Cheer up! Nobody is entirely useless.
                           | -You can always serve as a...
                           |   HORRIBLE EXAMPLE!!