Warped Shanks

[Tom Cole]

Pianotoone@AOL.COM wrote:
> 
> Was wondering what's the best way to correct warped (both side to side and or
> twisted) hammer shanks in order to correct spacing problems.  This is
> an inexpensive console piano.

Dick,

I use the electric shank bender pliers and don't bother with a rheostat
to lessen the temperature. They will sear the shanks a bit, but I figure
that's the price you pay for this fix. If the jaws aren't hot enough to
burn the shanks, you don't get much bending either.

I do remove the hammer rest rail, though, especially if I'm aligning
more than a couple of hammers. Even on full-sized uprights, it's worth
it to have the extra working room, and fewer accidental burns, and often
I'll put the burn marks higher up on the shank, to hide them behind the
rest rail. If there is only one or two hammers to align, it might be
easier to remove the hammer (necessary, sometimes, if it's the last
hammer in the section).

Your thought about using the pliers with a damp rag to steam bend the
shanks is definitely worth trying. It might be enough to just moisten
the shank and apply the heat directly. Let us know if you experiment.

Tom Cole