question time

[harvey]

Comments on Newt's reply interspersed...

First, could Bill Schlipf have been thinking of Ford's ratcheting letoff
tool? If not, I missed one of Ford's offerings before he and the offerings
left us.

Second, a stray thought. Recently speaking of pot metal parts, I once
encountered pot metal capstans! These were much more obvious than action
brackets, in that they were crumbling apart.

Then, Newton wrote:
>I use an aluminum gauge 1/8" high that slips under a coil.  If it is
>too high pound it down.  If it is too low, oops.  My pin punch is
>fairly long.  I lay it across a group os pins and drive down those
>that cause it to rock.  Simple trick for simple mind.

I must remember to try the first item... this simple mind already
discovered the second. Thanks!

>There is a tool that Pianotek may have that is a pair of pliers, LONG
>nosed, that has been ground so that you can grasp a capstan, squeeze,
>turn, return, regrasp, etc.

This was originally a Mehaffey tool, therefore [would be] available from
Pacific Piano Supply. Perhaps the idea has been "covered" (stolen) by
someone else. It happens far too much in our industry. Anyway, after
Francis sold a few of these pliers to the L.A. chapter members, none of us
(including me) liked the results on the capstan threads. Depending on
capstan tightness, the tool chewed up the threads too much. I know, who
cares, right? 

>There is also a tool, long nosed pliers where the tip has been
>flattened, curved and hardened to grasp round letoff dowels and also
>dowel type capstans.

Have seen it, but am not quite that lazy... yet.

>I do not have either but have found it useful to drop a grand action
>on a set of keys and push down to see what happens.  I check the
>middle and each end, remove the stack and rough turn capstans
>according to my observations of hammers way too high or keys way too
>low.  Saves some knuckle skin, mine not it's.

After trying several tools and various tricks, this is the method I
currently use. It's not high-tech, and I hate removing the stack yet
another time, but does seem the most time/energy effective method.




Jim Harvey, RPT
Greenwood, SC
harvey@greenwood.net
________________________
Docs? We don't need no steenkin' docs!
              -- Harvey (circa 1984)