Impact Hammers

[Joe & Penny Goss]

Ken
I used the Mahaffe lever for about 10 years but had mixed results as to
tuning stability and changed to a regular Schaff extension lever 6 years
ago. My tuning stability improved greatly however it was not the because of
having a new hammer but that my use of the impact lever was faulty in that
to settle the string and in using the tool my seating of the pin was not
that great. The last three months I have been using a wand style made by
Mike S and love the lightness and ease that one can move from pin to pin.
Using the wand was made possible  when I got the SATlll with the auto
advance. Before my thumb switch (can not use a foot switch) needed to be
attached to the handle. My old Schaff has been retired in favor of the
wand. I do use an impact lever (my design) that is a T for grand work. IMHO
almost any hammer if used with thought and skill can be used to tune.
Sometimes it seems to be like trying on shoes. You try them until one finds
the correct fit.
Joe Goss
----------
> From: Ken Burton <kwburton@cadvision.com>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Impact Hammers
> Date: Wednesday, January 13, 1999 5:48 PM
> 
>             Joe,
> 
>             You're right. I think I must have been asleep when I wrote
that
> post. I wonder if any of our techs use the Mehaffey impact hammer? If so,
I
> would like to hear from them how successful they are. Can you do fine
tuning
> with them?
>             Ken
>                         Ken Burton "Doctor Piano" Calgary Alberta
>                                    kwburton@cadvision.com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Joe & Penny Goss <imatunr@primenet.com>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: Tuesday, January 12, 1999 8:25 PM
> Subject: Re: Dampp-Chasers, was MAJOR peeve
> 
> 
> >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
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >
>