<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Re: [CAUT] Re: Steinway Damper sytem upgrade &= redesign</TITLE></HEAD> <BODY> I've put it in the "old= bag of tricks" David I.     ----- Original message= ----------------------------------------> From: Fred Sturm= <<A= href="mailto:fssturm@unm.edu">fssturm@unm.edu</A>> To: "<A= href="mailto:ilvey@sbcglobal.net">ilvey@sbcglobal.net</A>,= College and University Technicians" <<A= href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut@ptg.org</A>> Received:= Mon, 08 Nov 2004 15:59:14 -0700 Subject: Re: [CAUT] Re:= Steinway Damper sytem upgrade & redesign On 11/8/04 2:56 PM, "David= Ilvedson" <ilvey@sbcglobal.net> wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE>Yeah, but I can permanently fix= the problem and certainly get more friction relief than your= method AND I can charge $150 for the work...;-]=    The job usually takes less than an hour for= me.   I charge $100 if I'm there tuning the piano.=    </BLOCKQUOTE> Hi= David,     No question there isn’t all= that much difference in time. But I can fit it into “the= next tuning appointment” without allowing even an extra half= hour, so I find it a bit more convenient from a scheduling point= of view. And I charge a little less than $100 ($75). Depends on= the customer. Like I said, it was that very strong negative= reaction to my description of the “preferred method” from a= particular customer that got me to think of an alternative. So= there it is in the old bag of tricks, for the low budget places= (read “institutions” in particular, not actually including the= one where I am employed, now that I am employed and not= contract, but often churches and such), and instances where in= home major drilling is an issue.     BTW,= drilling the hole for the pitman pin: Use a long bit (6” will= do). First drop the trap lever and drill all the way through it= from the top, positioning the hole a bit to the back of the= dimple produced by the original pitman, taking care to drill= perpendicularly. Then put the lever back into position, and= insert the drill bit through that hole from the bottom, using= that hole as a guide to drill into the bottom of the lift tray= (This makes sure you get the holes nicely lined up with one= another to avoid any binding problems). Observe the angle and= placement of the drill bit in relation to the hole through the= keybed to ensure you are centered (fudged a bit to the back). Of= course, I would also generally pull the action, and use the= dimple in the tray leather as additional positioning= information. Regards, Fred Sturm University of New= Mexico <FONT= color=#0000ff>http://music.unm.edu/about/staff_members/fred_s= _sturm.php A mind is not a vessel to be filled, but= a fire to be kindled. </BODY></HTML>