Dampp-Chasers, was MAJOR peeve

[Joe & Penny Goss]

Hi Ken,
The Wonderwand is not a impact tuning lever. It works similarly to any
other tuning lever except that one uses the end of the lever mostly for
hand contact. The impact lever was I believe a Mahaffe creation and is used
to bump the pin up or down to pitch through a cam that allows free movement
of the handle then a sudden bump at the end of the hammer swing.
Joe Goss

----------
> From: Ken Burton <kwburton@cadvision.com>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Dampp-Chasers, was MAJOR peeve
> Date: Tuesday, January 12, 1999 6:58 PM
> 
>             Friends,
> 
>             I'm sure many of you can give me the help I need.
>             I have been asked to give some tips about using the "impact"
> tuning lever. (I presume the Wonderwand is what is being asked about.)
>             However, I never got along very well with this kind of lever
> and, hence, never discovered the secret tricks to using one. I was left
with
> the impression that they are not meant for fine tuning but I'm sure this
is
> not a proper evaluation.
>             Please share your tips on how to do fine tuning with an
impact
> hammer, so that I can pass this information along to the tuner who asked
me.
>             Thank you for sharing your experience.
> 
>                         Ken Burton "Doctor Piano" Calgary Alberta
>                                    kwburton@cadvision.com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ron Nossaman <nossaman@SOUTHWIND.NET>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: Tuesday, January 12, 1999 6:00 PM
> Subject: Re: Dampp-Chasers, was MAJOR peeve
> 
> 
> >
> >>
> >>Although I agree that stats should be part of a system in homes that
> >>have a heating system, I hope that requiring a humidifier is not on the
> >>horizon.
> >>
> >>I rarely install humdifiers because MOST of the 'complete' systems I
> >>installed back in the late seventies were not maintained.  Even after
> >>the light was added, people just didn't want to be bothered watering
> >>their pianos.  Then there's the question of who is going to be
> >>responsible for replacing liners and pads on every visit.  This has the
> >>effect of raising your tuning fee and is hardly a selling point unless
> >>the piano players are very particular about pitch stability.
> >>
> >>Why not encourage the use of bars and a stat to reduce the humidity
> >>range the piano is exposed to throughout the year?  It isn't as
> >>effective as the 'complete' system, but it is maintainance-free.
> >>
> >>Carl Root, RPT
> >>
> >
> >I agree one hundred percent on all points.
> >
> > "First, do no harm"  - Hippocrates -
> >
> >
> >
> > Ron
> >
> >
>