S & S capo

[Roger Jolly]

Hi Richard,
                 Harold Conklin did more research in the area of string
termination than any one that I know, and is well documented.  In the
design of the Baldwin SD10 he developed the treble resonators to more
accurately control several parameters. speaking length of duplex, ratio of
radius of termination to string diameter, (if my foggy memory is correct it
is approx 7 Times wire diameter.),  a more accurate angle of deflection. 
The early models had mild steel resonators, in the matter of string
grooving they performed below cast iron due to the lack of free carbon that
acts like a lubricant. The problem became very apparent after about a 5 yr
period on a frequently tuned piano,  as a result he went back to the
drawing board and come up with the case hardened units that are in current
production.
Restringing several trebles on 20yr old plus units with the case hardened
resonators they are remarkable in the condition of smooth geometry. The
'zings' from this particular model of piano is invariably caused be over
doped hammers.
If rebuilding Baldwin SF10 or SD10's that have badly grooved temination
bars, replace them with the newer case hardened type for best results.
Regards Roger



At 10:31 PM 28/02/99 -0600, you wrote:
>Seems like it would be easier to machine a groove and put in a steel rod. 
>Also seems like this or case hardening would be done at the factories if
>the factories thought it was really worth it.  Maybe the key word is
>"worth".  I thought someone was going to make a device that would re-round
>or re-machine the cap bar. What ever became of that? Is there a capo bar
>in existance that does not have grooves or pits in it from the wires? So
>this has been a problem ever since day one of the first c bar.
>Richard Moody  
>
>----------
>> From: fred s sturm <fssturm@unm.edu>
>> To: caut@ptg.org
>> Subject: Re: S & S capo
>> Date: Friday, February 26, 1999 11:52 AM
>> 
>> Horace wrote about the proper treatment being to "case harden" the capo.
>I
>> remember reading about this possibility about 15 years ago in the PTJ
>> (Krefting was editing then), but haven't been able to locate the article
>> in years since. Maybe it was in the one or two issues I've misplaced.
>> Anyway, can anyone shed light on this? What is involved? (I seem to
>> remember removal of plate, and use of some sort of torch, with precise
>> temperature control being mandatory, or the whole effort was not only
>> wasted, but matters were made worse). Anyone doing this? Experiences?
>> 
>> Fred S. Sturm, RPT
>> University of New Mexico
>> 
> 
Roger Jolly
Baldwin Yamaha Piano Centre
Saskatoon and Regina
Saskatchewan, Canada.
306-665-0213
Fax 652-0505