<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">I used to heat the glue joint to align hammers, until I found out that Titebond begins to break down at about 120 degrees, and loses half its strength at about 150 degrees. I got this info from a technician named Tom Patten in his class concerning fire damage to pianos. My understanding is he got this information from Franklin, the makers of Titebond. I assume this applies to other glues as well.<DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Maybe this isn't enough loss of strength to affect the hammer glue joint significantly, but I'd rather not take the chance. I now twist the shank, as was described in a previous response to this question. If the hammer is too far off to twist the shank, I remove the hammer and reglue with fresh glue.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Sincerely,</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Gary Mushlin, RPT</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On Mar 29, 2006, at 9:16 AM, <A href="mailto:ed440@mindspring.com">ed440@mindspring.com</A> wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2802" name="GENERATOR"> <DIV><BR>I will second Wim's approach.</DIV> <DIV>I heat the glue joint with an Ace hardware heat gun on low setting, moving from side to side of the hammer. If correcting more than one hammer I will move around and heat several at once. You need to give time for the heat to penetrate to the glue, and you don't want to make charcoal.</DIV> <DIV>Then grasp the shank with shank knurling pliers just below the hammer. No stress on the flange pinning, and very definate control.</DIV> <DIV>Then reset the hammer sort of like setting a tuning pin, over and back a few times until it's on center.</DIV> <DIV>I use Titebond in my work, but have also used this method on pianos with what-ever-it-is glue. Results seem stable, but I have not made a research project on the question.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Ed Sutton<BR><BR></DIV> <DIV style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 3px solid; PADDING-TOP: 5px"> <HR> Original message<BR>From: <A href="mailto:Wimblees@aol.com">Wimblees@aol.com</A><BR>To: <A href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut@ptg.org</A><BR>Received: 3/28/2006 2:11:50 AM<BR>Subject: Re: [CAUT] Hammer Alignment<BR><BR><FONT id="role_document" face="Arial" color="#000000" size="2"> <DIV> <DIV align="left">In a message dated 3/27/2006 11:13:17 PM Central Standard Time, <A href="mailto:davidlovepianos@comcast.net">davidlovepianos@comcast.net</A> writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face="Arial" color="#000000" size="2">Do they always end up twisting in the same direction? One thought is that<BR>if you burn the shanks for straightening at the initial installation and you<BR>hold the heat gun, say, in your right hand, you might be heating one side of<BR>the shank more than the other which might create some unequal tension in the<BR>shank that might play out over the period of a few weeks or months. <BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV>I have been reading these post with interest. I seem to be getting the impression that some of you are heating and bending the shank to move a hammer. I personally think that might be causing the problem Jon first mentioned. It has been my experience that the best way to burn hammers is heat the glue joint enough to allow me to twist the hammer. I then hold the hammer in its new position for the glue to solidify. I have never had a hammer move after that. I don't think the heat does any damage to the glue. I use Tightbond, BTW. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Wim </DIV></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>