[CAUT] hammer thickness trimming jig

[David Love]

With Spurlock jig I find I can shave as little as .1 grams off the weight of
a hammer.  A slight lean of the jig toward the blade or having a little play
in the guide allows a little side to side movement.  Sanding smear isn't a
big deal but I don't like it.  Easier is to just taper all the hammers
without weighing, dry fit them and then weigh the strike weights either
adding or subtracting before they are screwed and glued.  

 

David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net
www.davidlovepianos.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Fenton Murray
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2008 9:15 AM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Re: [CAUT] hammer thickness trimming jig

 

Exactly my procedure, Dave. My thinking is this is an old set of hammers
that was incorrectly installed, so looks are not my number on priority as in
the machining of a new set. Also, the sander gives me very precise
adjustment of weight, like .1 gram, I can't get that on the table saw. You
can get a little on the cove and hammer felt, but if you need more than .3
or .4 it seems like a touch on the sander is the way to go. After machining
a new set, I get the spindle sander and belt sander and disc all going at
once with dust collection and ear protection, I've got the scale set up,
then with me in the middle I go through the set weighing each hammer and
touching it here or there as needed. A little bit of sanding smear on some
of the sides doesn't bother me, air and dust collection will minimize it. I
do all the initial tapering on the table saw though, works great.

Fenton

----- Original Message ----- 

From: David <mailto:davidlovepianos at comcast.net>  Love 

To: 'Pianotech List' <mailto:pianotech at ptg.org>  

Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 10:56 PM

Subject: RE: [CAUT] hammer thickness trimming jig

 

I've done that too but it looks like crap and that bugs me.  Nevertheless
sometimes that's the only option.  Best to do it with a gram scale and a
Stanwood jig nearby so you can check the strike weights as you go.  

 

David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net
www.davidlovepianos.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Fenton Murray
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 10:10 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Re: [CAUT] hammer thickness trimming jig

 

I've thinned several sets of hung hammers on a sander. I use the disk and
the small belt free hand with the hammer supported by a table. I make a
couple of go/no go gauges to keep me honest with the tail and the head. It's
very quick and easy if not perfectly accurate beautiful machining, but it
gets the job (weight reduction)  done.

Fenton

----- Original Message ----- 

From: David Love <mailto:davidlovepianos at comcast.net>  

To: 'Pianotech List' <mailto:pianotech at ptg.org>  

Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 8:34 PM

Subject: RE: [CAUT] hammer thickness trimming jig

 

Table saws and routers always make me a bit nervous especially when trying
to support the object in question with hand held pressure.  It seems like
one could construct a jig where the hammer is held strike point down so that
the shank doesn't actually get in the way and you could create some kind of
holding mechanism so fingers or finger pressure to hold things in place
would not need to be used.  The width of the hammer could thus be thinned
and weight removed to the point just before where the shank engages.  A belt
sander could then be used to clean up the area around the shank were it
necessary.  I'll have to give it some thought when the shop empties of
pianos (which isn't likely any time soon).  It might be easier just to
remove the offending set from the shanks, thin them on the Spurlock jig and
rehang them.  The customer is paying, after all.  Why put your fingers at
risk to save them a few bucks.  

 

David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net
www.davidlovepianos.com 

 

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