Harpsichord hitch pin loops

[Fred S. Sturm]

    It's possible, but the thinness of the harpsichord wire might make
it problematic. That style machine has you clamp both ends of the wire,
while making the intial twist, then loosen a bit to make the finish
coil. It's quite possible to break the wire while making the twists, if
you don't finesse it quite a bit. Which might mean unclamping in
mid-stream, or feeding extra wire to begin with. It also might not be
easy to clamp such small wire.
    I had good luck with the loop maker I imagine you're talking about,
when restringing a Mason A and a Viennese piano, but that was making
those simpler coiled tails. I tried making a couple bass string style
loops "for fun" and found it troublesome. It's something to practice
ahead of time (save those borken strings for practice).
Fred

"David M. Porritt" wrote:

> Fred et al:
>
> I have a loop maker to make bass string style loops (I bought it when
> I had to string a Mason & Hamlin "A" with all those single strings in
> the treble).  Could that make appropriate loops for the harpsichord
> strings?  I need to put on a string in a few days.  The last string I
> put on a harpsichord I was not proud of!
>
> dave
>
> *********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********
>
> On 2/25/2003 at 9:44 AM Fred S. Sturm wrote:
>
> >Jim,
> >    On the assumption you are matching double helix loops with a
> coil
> >finish (the
> >most common, looks like bass string hitch loops):
> >1) You need a fixed substitute for the hitch pin. A large cup hook
> mounted
> >to the
> >edge of a table works. Or a headless nail held in a vice. Whatever
> it is,
> >it needs
> >to be positioned so that there are no obstructions in front of it
> (to
> >allow free
> >movement of your hands). It should be of a large enough diameter so
> that
> >the loop
> >formed can easily fit over the hitch pin later. (I mostly use a cup
> hook
> >screwed
> >into the end of a dowel. I attach this with a spring clamp to the
> edge of
> >my cheap,
> >metal harpsichord tool/supply case).
> >2) Pull the wire around the dummy pin, so that it goes completely
> around
> >and
> >crosses at a right angle. You need enough "waste length" to get a
> good
> >grip. 6 to
> >10 inches should suffice. Hold the wire in that position with one
> hand -
> >the hand
> >that you will use throughout to hold the speaking length. You will
> need to
> >have
> >decided whether the waste length goes over or under based on the
> direction
> >you want
> >to the coils to go (look at one of the loops you are matching).
> >3) Take the hand that is not holding the wire, and place it over or
> under
> >the other
> >hand (depending whether the waste length is over or under the
> speaking
> >length) and
> >grab the waste length. Holding the wire taut with both hands, and so
> that
> >the
> >string forms a right angle where it meets, rotate both arms in a
> full
> >circle around
> >one another (easier to show than describe this sort of thing),
> keeping the
> >wire
> >taut and at right angle at all times, so that it actually makes
> clear and
> >sharp
> >bends/coils around itself (each bends around the other). If you have
> been
> >successful, you should be able to let go with one hand, and the wire
> will
> >pretty
> >much stay put.
> >4) Repeat the above as many times as needed to create the number of
> coils
> >desired.
> >Steady, even movement, with wire held taut at all times, and
> maintaining
> >the 90
> >degree angle between wire ends, will allow for even, neat
> appearance.
> >5) For the finish coil, hold the speaking length of the wire taut
> with one
> >hand,
> >pulling straight toward yourself. With the other hand, pull the
> waste
> >length of
> >wire neatly around the speaking length. It is essential that the
> wire be
> >held taut
> >at all times, and a bit of finesse is needed to start the coil
> evenly.
> >Again, the
> >waste length hand lets go, and is moved around the speaking length
> hand to
> >grab the
> >waste length again. And you make as many tight, even coils as needed
> to
> >match the
> >original.
> >6) Cut the wire, leaving a short segment (match originals), which
> will
> >rest on the
> >hitch pin rail to help assure the coils don't unwind. It is
> necessary to
> >plan so
> >that the final direction of that bit of waste length is under the
> speaking
> >length.
> >    A caution - don't overdo tightness of coils. If they are too
> tight,
> >you will
> >have tail breakage. But if they are not tight enough, they'll want
> to
> >unwind. You
> >have to use good judgment here.
> >
> >Hope this helps. If it is unclear, please say so and I'll try to
> explain
> >better.
> >It's much easier to demonstrate than describe. I'll also note that
> if you
> >have a
> >helper, you can use a dowel with a cuphook in the end. One person
> holds
> >the wire,
> >tautly, at a 90 degree angle, while the other rotates the dowel.
> With good
> >teamwork, this can be a very successful method of making coils (it's
> what
> >the
> >Hubbard manual suggests). It does require a second person.
> >Regards,
> >Fred Sturm
> >University of New Mexico
> >
> >
> >James A Busby wrote:
> >
> >> List,
> >> Does anyone have a website or instructions, tricks, etc. for
> making
> >hitch pin
> >> loops for harpsichords? My loops are functional, but they don't
> look
> >uniform and
> >> even.  Thanks.
> >>
> >> (BTW, I know you can buy them premade, but I now have 4
> harpsichords
> >and it
> >> gets expensive to buy prefabs.)
> >>
> >> Jim Busby
> >> BYU
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >
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> _____________________________
> David M. Porritt
> dporritt@mail.smu.edu
> Meadows School of the Arts
> Southern Methodist University
> Dallas, TX 75275
> _____________________________
>
> _______________________________________________
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