[pianotech] Screws

[Laura Olsen]

> If everyone would take your last sentence to heart, there would be a lot less stripped screws in this world.  Especially in aluminum rails!


Laura

>> All,
>> The last convention in Las Vegas, each attendee got their "packet". In that
>> packet was a piece of plastic, called a screw gauge.(on the gauge, it was
>> labled "Standard Screw & Wire Gage" AND "Metric Screw & Wire Gage"). Even
>> tho, the company that made these necessary tools spelled Gauge incorrectly,
>> (obviously, the spelling police were not present at the factory.<G>), this
>> gauge is the best I've found. It is thick enough to measure sheet metal
>> screws that have the threads all the way up to the head. I've found, over
>> the years, screw gauges to be an essential TOOL for what we do. These
>> Gauges are available from our Home Office or your local Hardware store, or
>> direct from the manufacturer. I strongly advise, All technicians to have,
>> at least one in their tool kit AND one in their shop, (if they have a
>> shop<G>). It takes up very little room and will become an integral part of
>> the way you do your work, believe me. Gee, no more guessing what size screw
>> that fell behind the piano!<G> On that note, I have a Steinway type lid
>> prop. It is made out of wood. I've inserted 1/2" magnets in varioius
>> places, on both sides of the lid prop. Since the large percentage of screws
>> in a piano are steel, the chance of misplacing those case screws just got a
>> lot less possible. BTW, since we are, by nature, very anal, let's all put
>> the same screw back in the same hole it came out of. This will lessen the
>> incidence of stripped screws, (not to mention a whole lot of other
>> problems.<G>) And, remember to turn the screw backwards when starting to
>> re-insert the screw, in the correct hole, THEN turn it in once it "clicks"
>> into it's thread groove.
>> Regards,
>> Joe
>> 
>> 
>> Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
>> Captain of the Tool Police
>> Squares R I
>> 
>> 
>