<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" = xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" = xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" = xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name=ProgId content=Word.Document> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 9"> <meta name=Originator content="Microsoft Word 9"> <link rel=File-List href="cid:filelist.xml@01C3F6F8.CE8BB310">  <style>  </style>  </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US style='tab-interval:.5in'> <div class=Section1> W= im,<o:p></o:p> <= ![if = !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p>= I= ’ve found this method to be the most = effective:<o:p></o:p> <= ![if = !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p>= O= n the workbench, flip the action stack onto its front so the hammers can = individually come down onto the bench with the tails pointing up. I position the = stack at a point near the edge of the bench so I can grab one hammer head at a = time with a plastic spring-clamp (available at Big-Lots, 5 for a dollar) and brace = the clamp with my hand against the front edge of the bench. (Geesh, a = picture really would be worth a thousand words here) . This makes for a really = firm anchor. I then cut the end of the shank off with one of those beautiful = Japanese pull-saws designed for cutting off dowels. (#JBS-2204, page D-42 = Pianotek catalog). Three or four pulls and its gone leaving a nice slick, flush = cut which needs no further treatment. Believe it or not, it only takes 15 = – 20 minutes to do the whole set this way. Its nice and quiet = too…<o:p></o:p> <= ![if = !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p>= ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p> Eric Wolfley<o:p></o:p> Head Piano Technician<o:p></o:p> Cincinnati College-Conservatory of = Music<o:p></o:p> University of Cincinnati<o:p></o:p> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p> = <![if = !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p>= -----Original Message----- From: Wimblees@aol.com [mailto:Wimblees@aol.com] Sent: Thursday, February = 19, 2004 12:57 PM To: caut@ptg.org Subject: sawing off = hammershank tails <![if = !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p> I used to saw off the ends of shanks with a Dremel saw. But Dremel = discontinued making them. (I guess too many people trying to stop the saw with their = fingers, and suing Dremel because it cut off their fingers.)<o:p></o:p>  </= font><o:p></o:p> For a while I was taking the hammers and shanks off, and trimming the tails = with a band saw. But lately I've been using a Heavy Duty Cutt-Off Wheel, no. = 420 from Dremel. I just did a set,  and it worked OK, except that it burns = the wood, which creates a bad smell, and I used 6 wheels. = <o:p></o:p>  </= font><o:p></o:p> Does anyone else have a way to trim the tails, other than using a band = saw?<o:p></o:p>  </= font><o:p></o:p> Wim = <o:p></o:p> Willem Blees, RPT Piano tuner/technician School of Music University of Alabama<o:p></o:p> </div> </body> </html>