Fred: Couldn't you just use the hook and crank on the loop machine as your dowel & cup hook? dave *********** REPLY SEPARATOR *********** On 2/25/2003 at 3:12 PM Fred S. Sturm wrote: >David, > I'll just mention that you don't have to have a Zuckermann T hammer >to use Conrad's method. A dowel with a cup hook screwed into the end >will do the same thing. In case you didn't follow what he described, >what you are doing is fixing the two ends of the wire (clamping the >speaking length to a table or whatever, holding the other with pliers), >and grabbing in between with the hook. Twisting the hook to form the >helix coils is similar to how the bass string jig works, except you >don't have a fixed jig to contend with - your hands will give enough >play to avoid breakage. You control how tight the coils are by how taut >you hold the wire and pull with the hook, and by the angle you maintain. > > I prefer what I described, probably because I got used to it from >stringing a few harpsichords before I tried the Zuckermann method. I >found I could control the results better. But it's all what you get used >to and good at. > >Regards, >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 >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >> > >> >_______________________________________________ >> >caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >> >> _____________________________ >> David M. Porritt >> dporritt@mail.smu.edu >> Meadows School of the Arts >> Southern Methodist University >> Dallas, TX 75275 >> _____________________________ >> >> _______________________________________________ >> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > >_______________________________________________ >caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives _____________________________ David M. Porritt dporritt@mail.smu.edu Meadows School of the Arts Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX 75275 _____________________________
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC