Shank excess

[David Love]

I use a Japanese pull saw.  After the hammers are hung, I remove each one
from the rail, trim the shank, tail the hammer, take the strike weight and
record it on a spread sheet.

If you are not taking the SW's and therefore don't want to remove each one
from the rail, you can stand the action up on the front side of the brackets
so that the hammers fall strike point down.  With the stack on your right
(if you are right handed) pull the hammers down one at a time to cut them.
Hold the hammer with your fingers and cut through with a pull saw.  To keep
from cutting into your fingers, put a block of wood on the other side of the
hammer head.  Tilt the saw forward slightly as you cut so that when it cuts
through the tip of the saw lands on the block before it cuts into your hand.
When you are done, clean the ends of the shank with a disk sander.

David Love
----- Original Message -----
From: "phil frankenberg" <rinkyd@pacbell.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: June 18, 2002 2:22 PM
Subject: Shank excess


I would love to hear some of the methods for trimming excess grand shanks.
It's always been a struggle for me. I've used hand jigsaws, small drum
sanders, flexblades from Bill Spurlock, etc. Years ago I had a dremel rotary
saw blade that worked well, but it seems to be no longer available. How do
you do it?

Thanks

Phil Frankenberg
Chico Ca.