removing shanks from butts

[John Ross]

In hard situations, I have used a heat gun.
Govern the intensity of the heat, by the distance from the object.
Leave it on for a longer period of time, with less heat. Then with a proper 
'puller', I have had no problem.
I use Renner tools, for the removal.
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "ed miller" <edmiller3 at hotmail.com>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, October 21, 2006 11:42 AM
Subject: removing shanks from butts


> List,
>
> I am about to rebuild a set of hammer butts, and put in new shanks and 
> hammers. However, I can't get these pesky shanks out of the butts. I have 
> done everything I've learned..... breaking away the collar, soaking the 
> shank/butt joint with wallpaper remover, even applying some steam to help 
> loosen the glue (it is hot hide glue).
>
> I've only tried it on shanks that have hammers already broken off. So I've 
> been using a shank clamp as the end point for the shank/butt remover to 
> push against. The clamp keeps sliding up the shank before the shank/butt 
> joint will break loose (and I've tightened it really hard, to the point 
> where the shank is pretty smooshed).
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions?
>
> Thanks,
> Ed
>
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