Impact hammer for restringing

[Lance Lafargue]

Thanks Tom.  I can't believe how cheap air tools are.  Yeah, at that price,
I'll take my chances, and replace it before spaying oil on the pins.  I'll
let you know what I learn.  Sounds like it's worth the time, expense, and
effort. The last piano I eyeballed the stop before it reached the plate. 
Thanks again...
 P.S.  Maybe I can use the chisel bits to remove that synthetic buckskin on
Baldwin uprights.  Gotta get my 20 bucks worth!
Lance Lafargue, RPT
New Orleans Chapter
Covington, LA.
lafargue@iamerica.net

----------
> From: Tom Cole <tcole@cruzio.com>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Impact hammer for restringing
> Date: Thursday, August 21, 1997 6:50 PM
> 
> Lance Lafargue wrote:
> > 
> > I mostly worry about a pin driven in at a less than perfect angle,
> > enlarging the hole.  There is no room for this kind of mistake.  I also
> > don't want to scratch the plate with something that is too powerful.. 
I
> > envision a bull in a china shop scenario and don't want to negate the
> > quality/integrity of the tuning pin hole, or my plate finish.  Thanks
for
> > any ideas.
> 
> Lance,
> 
> When I first start the pin into the hole, I don't jam the air chisel
> onto the pin but start with a light touch. Also, it's a lot like
> drilling the holes in a new bridge cap. You position your body over the
> machine to get a good feel for the angle. Take your time with the first
> few pins and they will tell you how they need to be driven, the same as
> when you're driving them by hand. Once you get the rhythm, you might
> even think that you have more control.
> 
> A couple of caveats:
> 	1) knowing when to release the trigger so that you don't over drive the
> pins. I remember doing it by eye rather than using some kind of a stop
> which would damage the plate finish.
> 	2) the air chisel people will tell you to put drops of air chisel oil
> in the intake frequently. If you do, you might want to wrap a rag around
> the exhaust which exits toward the point of the tool. Until someone
> invents a rear exhaust tool, I'd run mine dry, though. I figure that
> shelling out $20 to replace it now and then is worth the peace of mind
> knowing that I'm not spraying oil on the tuning pins.
> 
> If you do have concerns, you could drive some test pins into a scrap of
> pin block material and test for torque. Also check if there's a
> difference between using a sledge and using an air chisel. If you do,
> let me know what you find out.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Tom
> 
> -- 
> Thomas A. Cole RPT
> Santa Cruz, CA
> 
>