<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.3086" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 6/6/07 2:01:21 A.M. Central Daylight Time, ricb@pianostemmer.no 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>I have to agree with Ron N's statement about throwing away the string stretcher. </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV>Perhaps if I describe my string stretcher, it will make sense. It is a home made fulcrum type. I believe I got the idea from Greg Hulme. It is made entirely out of pin block material, except the for at the fulcrum, which is a bolt. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>A block of wood supports a long arm. On one end is a handle. On the other end is a block of wood with the tip the width of three strings. I put the block of wood on the keybed, and like a see saw, push down on the handle, which brings the tip up to the strings. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I don't use too much force, but enough to get resistance. The strings are pushed up within two or three inches of the agraffs, but because of the design, I can only go up to about the middle of the 6th octave, or where there is not enough room between the belly and the plate. Pushing up on the strings would be like using a string puller to level strings.  <DIV> </DIV></DIV> <DIV>I have had good results with this thing. I've never broken a string or an agraff. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Wim </DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">See what's free at <A title="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503" href="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503" target="_blank">AOL.com</A>. </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>