This tool goes back to the days before inharmonicity was accounted for in tuning theory, when books promoted the idea of fixed beat rates. It would have done very well for organ tuning.
A patent search will lead you to many gadgets which would have done a pretty sloppy job, at best. Niles Bryant patented a phonograph record with 12 grooves, each groove having a carefully counted number of waves to produce a note in a chromatic ET scale.
Ed S.
----- Original Message -----
From: Joe And Penny Goss
To: annie at allthingspiano.com ; Pianotech List
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2008 10:17 PM
Subject: Re: Need info on a couple of tools
Counting the beat rate of F A?
Joe Goss RPT
Mother Goose Tools
imatunr at srvinet.com
www.mothergoosetools.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Annie Grieshop
To: Pianotech List
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2008 7:45 PM
Subject: RE: Need info on a couple of tools
The beat counter was meant to be a teaching tool, not something you carried with you. Watches with second hands that actually "mark" each second (rather than sweeping past) are relatively new, so technicians didn't have as many options for learning the length of a second.
Annie G.
-----Original Message-----
From: Eric D. [mailto:alowd at yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2008 8:05 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Need info on a couple of tools
Thanks for all of the replies. Joe, the second tool measures about 1.25" x 9" (estimate). I never would have thought that the tool was a beat counter! I mounted it on a hammer shank and it does work, but I wonder if and how a person could use it while one hand was playing intervals and the other was manipulating a tuning hammer...I suppose that's why the supply houses don't sell these anymore.
As far as the pliers are concerned, they don't work very well. If I try to needle the shoulders as shown in the photo, the hammer slides around and takes a lot of effort to accurately penetrate the felt. I tried to use the tool to needle the sides of the hammer, like the pliers shown on the German website, but the rod that protrudes from the jaw does not allow the adjustable section to close much more than the photos show. I think that if I could remove some of the needles and make some other modifications this might be a usable tool.
As Ron said, I could use it to tenderize something. Maybe I'll just sell it to someone interesting in body modification. :-)
Thanks again, everyone.
Eric
----- Original Message ----
From: "pianotech-request at ptg.org" <pianotech-request at ptg.org>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2008 5:43:08 PM
Subject: Pianotech Digest, Vol 1296, Issue 212
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Today's Topics:
1. RE: Need info on a couple of tools (Annie Grieshop)
2. Samick "Cat" Grand (Clark A. Sprague)
-----Inline Message Follows-----
From what I've been told, the second "voicing tool" is actually a "beat counter". I have one that came from M. Roseburrough's auction, but have never been entirely clear on its intended function. So I'm interested, too. Thanks for asking, Eric.
That first set of pliers is pretty wicked!
Annie G.
-----Original Message-----
From: Eric D. [mailto:alowd at yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2008 3:53 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Need info on a couple of tools
The other two photos show another tool that I assume is used for voicing as well. Two of the three “crossbars” slide along the parallel “rods”. As shown in the last photo, the middle crossbar has two small needles that protrude about 2-3mm. I would be very appreciative if anyone could tell me what this is and how to use it.
Thanks,
Eric Davis, Assoc., Birmingham Chapter
Huntsville , AL
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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From what I've been told, the second "voicing tool" is actually a "beat counter". I have one that came from M. Roseburrough's auction, but have never been entirely clear on its intended function. So I'm interested, too. Thanks for asking, Eric.
That first set of pliers is pretty wicked!
Annie G.
-----Original Message-----
From: Eric D. [mailto:alowd at yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2008 3:53 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Need info on a couple of tools
The other two photos show another tool that I assume is used for voicing as well. Two of the three “crossbars” slide along the parallel “rods”. As shown in the last photo, the middle crossbar has two small needles that protrude about 2-3mm. I would be very appreciative if anyone could tell me what this is and how to use it.
Thanks,
Eric Davis, Assoc., Birmingham Chapter
Huntsville , AL
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.
-----Inline Message Follows-----
Here you go Terry. This is the worst caster.. Which brings me to the next
question. When the lady told me that someone told her it needed a new
soundboard, I will admit that I wasn't about to go crawling under the piano
to look at the bottom of the board. It was not cracked, just some stains on
the top side (and it looks like they will clean up just fine). The bridges
are fine, as well.
So, I thought, maybe she heard pinblock, and didn't know the
difference. So I got out my hammer, tried the pins in the worst area of the
pins, and they are not loose. The action also cleaned up very nicely
(protected by the plate, for the most part). So I thought, soundboard and
block are going to be ok, and bought it for cheap.
I wonder if the prevailing wisdom of the List would give me their
advice on the block. I was thinking that maybe I could get by with
re-drilling the block to get at new wood in the pin holes, say drill for 3's
or 4's. I wonder at the ability of the plate bushings to keep most of the
cat problem above the top surface of the block, or should I just replace the
block and have it over with? I am thinking that if I remove the plate, and
find out that not much staing has occurred on the top of the block, maybe
just re-drilling would be sufficient. What say you all? Clark A. Sprague,
RPT
Here you go Terry. This is the worst caster. Which brings me to the next
question. When the lady told me that someone told her it needed a new
soundboard, I will admit that I wasn't about to go crawling under the piano
to look at the bottom of the board. It was not cracked, just some stains on
the top side (and it looks like they will clean up just fine). The bridges
are fine, as well..
So, I thought, maybe she heard pinblock, and didn't know the
difference. So I got out my hammer, tried the pins in the worst area of the
pins, and they are not loose. The action also cleaned up very nicely
(protected by the plate, for the most part). So I thought, soundboard and
block are going to be ok, and bought it for cheap.
I wonder if the prevailing wisdom of the List would give me their
advice on the block. I was thinking that maybe I could get by with
re-drilling the block to get at new wood in the pin holes, say drill for 3's
or 4's. I wonder at the ability of the plate bushings to keep most of the
cat problem above the top surface of the block, or should I just replace the
block and have it over with? I am thinking that if I remove the plate, and
find out that not much staing has occurred on the top of the block, maybe
just re-drilling would be sufficient. What say you all? Clark A. Sprague,
RPT
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