Dremel Tool

[Tunapiana@aol.com]

I have used a variable speed MOTO-TOOL many times on all kinds of hammers and
it works well, although I had a lot of opportunity to learn a free-hand
technique by practicing on countless old uprights and klunkers where any
hammer filing made a big improvement. After using the coarse and fine
sandpaper sleeves for about a year I tried experimenting with the cylindrical
stones (pink colored ) used for sharpening and grinding and found these to
work MUCH better and left much more felt on the hammers while giving them a
real nice, smooth surface. WEAR A DUST MASK AND GRINDERS GOGGLES because the
dust really flies and if you breathe enough of the stuff you will be going to
see the doctor to treat SINUS INFECTIONS!
By the way, another tool I use with GREAT results QUICKLY on verticals is a
grand hammer tail checkering file, held with both hands and placing it
lengthwise along the face of as many hammers it will cover and starting from
the bottom shoulder pull it up over the hammers, then when you have removed
enough to smooth out the grooves (not trying to get a perfectly smooth
surface) go back the other way (top shoulder to crown) INDIVIDUALLY or a
couple at a time, then blow or vaccuum the mess and youre done. I have found
this 10-20 min MAX procedure REALLY helps on the verticals I have come across
and I usually charge $20 to $30. It is also a neat way to QUICKLY give these
pianos back a much better tone. RARELY do I have to spent time evening out
with the needles....

Hope this helps

Greg Torres, Technician
Niceville, Fl
tunapiana@aol.com

On April 3 JVITTI wrote...

> Has anyone had experience with using a dremel tool (minimite cordless) to
file
hammers? I must confess that I've always placed its use on hammers in the
area
of "hack"work. I recently had a set of ugly misshaped Steinway hammers I
tired
it on. It really worked very well in "sculpting" a good hammer shape. You can
......<