[pianotech] agraffe leveling

Joe And Penny Goss imatunr at srvinet.com
Fri Mar 27 21:22:45 PDT 2009


Re: [pianotech] agraffe levelingHi,
Well a little info first.
The bubble in the level has a foot 1/2" wide and you are measuring strings that are no more than 1/4" wide edge to edge. 
If you place a busness card at the very edge of the foot on a level surface it will move the bubble to where the far edge is in the center of the window. A piece of typing paper will move the bubble off center to the high side fully touching the line. Business card about .0010"  paper .0003"  
So taking a little liberty with these measurments and knowing that the foot rests on only about half its width, one is trying to level the strings to a very narrow target of less than .00005 to .0001"
For me the tool is more of a help in giving me a target to shoot for on bass strings as I also try to level the hammer striking surface and then mate to preleveled strings during my prevoicing with the needles or other methods.
I have tried not to respond as I know others have and will find other ways and better ways of using the tool.
There is one on the list who demonstrated using a mechanics stethoscope to listen to the ping made when the string was plucked. Wow thats getting precise.

If you have time to visit my site there are some suggestions for the use of the tool.
And one thing that perhaps should be highlighted. The bubble is not the most important part of the tool.
The foot is! 
It is easy for the foot to pick up dirt and throw off its reading of the ping.
Check your level for defects often.  the reason the foot is as high as it is is to allow the tool to be used on the 
bass bi chord and for some Replaning when necessary.
To resurface the tool I use a flat piece of glass on a leveled table top (my computer desk) and start with a grit of120
Ten or so swipes some times much less and check the foot using the glare of a bright light.
If I see all depressions have been removed and the foot checks level I use 220 then 300 
paper to polish the foot checking every six to ten strokes.
If the level is not level one must press down on the high side firmly as the level is pulled across 
the emery paper taking great care not to let go of the level and beveling the other end.
The instructions mention that ( at that time ) I use the Hart string lifter for shop work. No longer
am using it as it is much more difficult for me to get into where lifting can be done and hard to get 
out sometimes displacing the string requiring more work and I'm lazy <G>
The tool that is my favorite may be mine but It has had to prove itself to me as well.
Never has the wire .051" broken in my use.
If yours does it is very simple to make a replacement wire or ask for a new one.
HTH


Joe Goss RPT
Mother Goose Tools
imatunr at srvinet.com
www.mothergoosetools.com
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David Ilvedson 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 7:44 PM
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] agraffe leveling


  Well, that was sort of my original question with beginner answers from Joe...I haven't had any succes leveling the strings with normal (Don Mannino tool) methods....BUT...I haven't tried more force (no info on that forth-coming).   I haven't tried pulling down on the high string (action removed...no comments/info forth-coming...just "level the strings then fit hammers"...

  David Ilvedson, RPT
  Pacifica, CA 94044


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Original message
  From: "Scott Jackson"  
  To: pianotech at ptg.org
  Received: 3/27/2009 7:29:54 PM
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] agraffe leveling


  Joe,
  Dampers are in newcondition. Actually not the damping that is the problem, but the out-of-phase strings caused by the poor mating of hammers to strings. If the strings just cannot be leveled by lifting, how much can you file a hammer before it causes another problem?
    
  Scott J
    
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Joe And Penny Goss 
    To: pianotech at ptg.org 
    Sent: Saturday, March 28, 2009 10:45 AM
    Subject: Re: [pianotech] agraffe leveling


      
    Hi Scott,
    Could have someone trimmed these dampers to eliminate whoosh?
    Joe Goss RPT
    Mother Goose Tools
    imatunr at srvinet.com
    www.mothergoosetools.com
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Scott Jackson 
      To: David Ilvedson ; pianotech at ptg.org 
      Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 2:33 PM
      Subject: Re: [pianotech] agraffe leveling


      I have a Samick like that. I have never gotten the bi-chords properly leveled. So just how much angle can you put on a hammer face without upsetting something else? 
        
      Scott Jackson
        
        ----- Original Message ----- 
        From: David Ilvedson 
        To: caut at ptg.org ; pianotech at ptg.org 
        Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 3:05 AM
        Subject: [pianotech] agraffe leveling


        I was attempting to level the strings on a newer Yam C6 the other day.   According to Goss's leveling device, all the tenor agraffes were way off.   I tried pulling up the left string to level but couldn't make enough of a difference.   A bad batch of agraffe drilling?   I guess in this situation you have to fit the hammer to what you've got?

        David Ilvedson, RPT
        Pacifica, CA 94044
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