sluggish aeolian spinet action

[Bud Schwab]

Hi Susan,

Yes, one does have to be careful not to overdo it or you have to repin the 
flange.  The flat piece of metal I used at the end of the wire was about 
one fourth inch wide and I cut it down to a point at the end and put a tiny 
bend at the very tip so you could get to a pin that was slightly buried in 
the excess bushing felt.  If used properly they can save a lot of time since



you get almost immediate results.

Bud

At 01:04 AM 11/28/00 -0800, you wrote:



>>Back in the fifties I made a littl gadget we called a shocker for 
>>sluggish flanges.
>>
>>                                                 Bud Schwab
>
>Thanks, Bud, for inventing the zapper. I got a couple from Mr. Mehaffey. 
>While one
>has to be careful with it, to avoid charring the birdseye, it can be a 
>real godsend.
>I remember once in a private house, tuning a very old Steinway for a wedding,
>a few of the damper underlevers were sticking, and they were the glued on 
>type.
>A split second of zap for each, and all was well. Another time I went to tune
>a miserable short grand for a very sick and poor old lady, who was also very
>anxious. The jacks were sticking throughout. I just suggested she go and 
>take a
>little nap, gave a short jolt to all the jacks, and when she came back the
>piano was working fine and I was half way through the tuning.
>
>It's not without risk, but with care it can really save the day.
>
>By the way, I've found that when zapping where the cloth overhangs and it
>nearly drives you crazy, trying to find the center pin ends, that I can 
>use one
>of Don Mannino's broaches to point at the center pin, and touch it with
>one side of the tweezers. So far I haven't fried the broach to oblivion,
>though it has turned blue on the end.
>
>Susan Kline

                                                 Bud Schwab
W 6 Z Y P
Malibu, california