"Wippen" (was "Whippen" cords)

[Farrell]

????????? "disrecommends" ??????

For anyone from Asia, Europe, Africa, South America, Australia or
Antarctica, it is similar to "datrecommends", only it is the other one (i.e.
like "I wanna buy dis piano, not dat piano").

Terry Farrell
Piano Tuning & Service
Tampa, Florida
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com

----- Original Message -----
From: <Billbrpt@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2000 7:47 PM
Subject: Re: "Wippen" (was "Whippen" cords)


> In a message dated 9/24/00 5:54:53 PM Central Daylight Time,
Wimblees@AOL.COM
> writes:
>
> << << List,
>   I need to replace a few of the threads that attach to the whippen
springs
>   on an old English grand. Does anyone have an opinion on what kind of
thread
>   or string is most appropriate? The supply houses sell silk cord, is this
>   better than regular thread or string or nylon line? Is CA glue good to
glue
>   them on, or is hide glue better? Thanks, as always for your opinions.
>   Keith Jones Piano Tuning
>   kjones@well.com >>
>
>
>  This is not one of those super critical repairs. You can use ordinary
> thread,
>  although silk will probably last a little longer. I wouldn't use nylon.
And
>  you can use CA glue, or wood glue, if you don't have hide glue ready to
go.
>
>  By the way, the contraption to which you are referring is called a
wippen,
>  not a whippen. There is not such thing as a whippen, although youngsters
> used
>  to get a whipp'n when they misbehaved. (But then in my dictionary, there
is
>  no such thing as a wippen, either.)
>
>  Willem
>   >>
>
> Although I usually don't answer rebuilding and most repair questions, I
have
> a reason for answering this one.  I'm glad Wim pointed out the spelling
> issue.  I have long been interested in English nomenclature regarding
Piano
> Technology but French and Spanish as well.  Good spelling, grammar and
> sentence structure are important on a List like this one because people
from
> anywhere and everywhere can and do read it.
>
> If we want the excellent knowledge about Piano Technology that is
generated
> here to be properly understood and interpreted into their respective
> languages by Europeans and Asians who read the List, we have to do our
best
> to use good English and be consistent with nomenclature and its spelling.
I
> personally have run into the dilemma of not being able to find the Spanish
> and French Equivalents of certain very common piano parts, namely
"whippen"
> and "flange".  Believe me, there are plenty more and in other areas
besides
> parts and their functions.  "Well-Temperament" for example, does not
> translate properly into either Spanish or French.
>
> It came to light a few years ago (and was written up in the Journal) that
the
> word which has most often been spelled, "whippen" comes from a German verb
> (not the name of an object but a word describing an action) which means
"to
> rock", "wippen".  In German, the "W" is pronounced as a "V" is in English,
so
> the word in German sounds like "Vippen".
>
> Many words used in Piano Technology came out of factories in which there
were
> people using mixtures of language.  An example would be the German makers
and
> craftsmen who went to England, the United States and Canada.  Somehow, the
> English speaking workers and the Germans would learn to understand each
> other, each learning a bit of the other's language.
>
> The present day thinking is that this word should be spelled, "Wippen" but
it
> is also recognized that the word has often been spelled with the "h"
> inserted.  The abbreviation, "Whips" is also commonly used to refer to a
set
> of them.  It would seem to me that if "Wippen" is correct, then a good
> abbreviation for a set of them  would be, "Wips", not "Whips", although I
> have never seen the word, "Wips" in print.
>
> As for the chords, I agree with Wim (not "Whim"), basically.  I highly
advise
> using the silk cord from the Supply House.  Any repair to a piano should
be
> thought of as needing to last a very long time, say a minimum of 30 years.
> The silk cord is very strong and lasts very long.  Only if you are sure
about
> the longevity and strength of another material, should you use it.  I
don't
> know why Wim disrecommends Nylon but perhaps it is for these reasons.
>
> As for the adhesive, CA glue would be overkill if you were doing a
complete
> set.  For just a few however, you can get the immediate cure and strength
you
> need for minor repairs.  It is costly compared to other glues and is
> hazardous and fumes from its use are irritating and toxic.  Unless you use
> gloves to do the job, you will get it all over your fingers.  It will take
a
> soaking in acetone to get the crust off.  You don't need Hot Hide glue
either
> although using a thin preparation of it would do the job very well.  It
will
> set quickly as it cools.
>
> You can use just plain White glue, such as Elmer's that you can get
anywhere
> and cheaply.  It is not toxic and will clean off of your fingers easily.
> There will be some set time involved though.  Working in a warm
environment
> and letting the glue set up at least a couple of hours, preferably
overnight
> will make sure that the bond is strong and cured before you try to install
> the piece and hook up the spring.  The strength that common White glue has
is
> more than adequate to hold that chord in place.  It just has to be evenly,
> thoroughly, consistently and carefully applied and allowed to set and cure
in
> order to avoid future failure.
>
> Bill Bremmer RPT
> Madison, Wisconsin