Agraffes

[A440A@aol.com]

greetings all,

Vince writes, in regards to agraffe questions;

>>All agraffes will have some degree of flattening in the
>holes, even though you may not be able to see it.

>>If you do not replace agraffs with new, then you must
>>ream each hole with a countersink drill to renew them.



     This is a very true!  I agree with Vince on the need to renew agraffes,
but feel the need to add................
    A high quality restringing job pays  attention to the string
terminations,  whether it be on a guitar, violin, or piano.  Since pianos
have such high forces involved,  we get to  do some sort of light machine
work every time we deal with the strings.

    The custom countersink, as shown by Chris Robinson, is an elegant bit of
toolwork, the sort of tool that  gladdens any machinists heart.  I loved
using it.    It will, with the proper care and skill, render the agraffe
 bearing holes like new, (minus a little brass).  With poor application, it
will destroy agraffes and careless fingers with equal ease.   I treat
agraffes before restringing,  with a homemade tool,  and I think I am getting
my desired results, more consistantly, and more easily.

     Use a 10 inch length of the heaviest bass core wire trimming you have,
get it as straight as possible.  At one end,  roll it strongly between two
files, (just like the old manner of making center pin reamers).  I cannot
offer advice on mill, bastard, or otherwise,  it doesn't seem to make much
difference,

     Carefully smooth the cut end on a grinder or file,( it will be digging
into the plate, otherwise), and leaving the first1/8" round, swedge the
roughened part.  Swedge it wide enough to just barely resist going in a hole
of the agraffe.  This is all there is to it.  You have made an adjustable
file with two rounded "cutting edges", and a tapered width.   If needed, you
can swedge it again to make it wider.

   I chuck this piece of wire up in a 1/4" ,(important!)=>variable speed
drill,  preset on fairly low to medium speed.  Then with some chalk on my
fingers,  I use the round end of the wire to align the file in the agraffe,
pull the trigger, and ream  once in and out.
     Once you get the feel for steering the wire,  an entire set can be done
without stopping the drill.  The occasional hole that doesn't provide
resistance gets a chalk mark.  After I have finished the set,  I will swedge
the file once more, lightly and try the larger holes, if the agraffe seems
suspect,  I replace it.
    Assuming that the same diameter wire is going back in the hole,  the
indentation left from the previouse wire needs very little metal removed to
provide a fresh seat.
It takes off just enough brass that you can see a glimmer of dust forming on
the wire, it burnishes almost as much as it grinds.  Besides,  it is very
forgiving,  just don't try it with too long a length, or too fast a speed.
 It will cut, (DAMHIK)

Regards,
Ed Foote
Precision Piano Works
Nashville, Tn