buffing aggraffes?

[Paul Kupelian]

Hi Mark,
I am a firm believer in keeping the original agraffes.  To that end I have 
developed a procedure which is both fast and easy.  First of all, you need 
a one inch belt sander with a buffing belt (Delta makes both), and one of 
the agraffe reamers that Pianotek sells.    Then I have fashioned and 
agraffe holder to put the threaded portion of the agraffe in.  It is piece 
of oak about two inches long by an inch wide and a half inch thick.  I 
taper one end down (the end the agraffe screws into) on a sander so it 
looks like a hugh carpenters pencil.  I drill a hole in the tapered end 
long enough to screw the agraffe into. I dress the buffing belt with 
jewelers rouge, I guess that is the same as tripoli.

All of the agraffes are kept in order.  This is important.  I take a piece 
of piano wire and knot one end and as i remove the agraffes I string them 
on the wire.
I have another piece of wire to put them on when I polish them.

One side benefit of using this method is that the brass is reanealed due to 
the heat generated from the buffing.  Also the holder keeps you from 
burning your fingers.  Be sure to wear a mask to keep the rouge dust out of 
your system.

Once they are polished, I use the reaming tool to refurbish the holes.

I have had many compliments on how nice they look when reinstalled.  I do 
have a supply on hand and only replace those that may break.

Paul Kupelian, RPT
SUNY Oswego, Ret.
--On Friday, March 15, 2002 9:07 AM -0600 Mark Cramer <cramer@BrandonU.CA> 
wrote:

>
> Hi list,
>
> I'll keep it brief, welcome your replies the same:
>
> hard felt or stiched flannel wheel?
>
> red tripoli?
>
> faster method?
>
> I hate to rant at my assistant about how long he's taking, when I can't do
> the job any faster myself!  :>)
>
> Have tried the pre-soak in Tarn-x, still require buffing to get the deep
> finish though.
>
> Mark Cramer,
> Brandon University