Square Grands

[Farrell]

Well, for one I wish my digital camera was working, I would just send you a
picture. But, in the meantime, picture in your mind - a foot-long piece of
1-1/2 x 1-1/2 spruce, with a six-inch metal tuning extension mounted out of
one end, and the tuning tip on the end of that. Nothing but a long (18")
tuning hammer with a square sectioned handle. Drill a hole near the handle
far end (where your hand would go - drill through the piece from one side &
out the other). Drill a similar hole in near the end of another 12" long
1-1/2 x 1-1/2 spruce piece. Put the two holes together and run a bolt
through (the two pieces will be overlapping and inch or so). The 12"
extension will pivot - it will turn 360 degrees. Now you can put the tuning
hammer on a tuning pin - let's say like down in the low tenor (near the back
left end of the case), and even if your hammer ends up oriented parallel
with the back of the case (real hard to reach while playing the note at the
same time), you can simply swing the extension out your way and remain
seated (you gain those 12 inches - make the darn extension as long as you
need it - I find the 12" to work fine - I can tune all notes while sitting
and playing the keyboard comfortably). You lose some of the nice feel that
you get with a regular hammer, but I used a 1/2-inch bolt that is epoxied in
and a real close fit in the pivoting piece so that there is not any play,
and it is not problem. You still lose something, but the little bit you
might lose in feel will certainly not be the weak link in attempting to
create a master tuning on most square grands - at lease not the ones I tend
to run into!

Does this make sense?

Terry Farrell

----- Original Message -----
From: "Carl Meyer" <cmpiano@home.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, October 20, 2001 6:53 PM
Subject: Re: Square Grands


> Terry, I don't understand what you mean by a pivot and what is the
function.
> I have a double ended tuning head for oval pins that you can flip over.
>
> I have a square to tune this week.  It's a Chickering. Has square pins
> (makes life easier).  It is untunable.  I plan to buy a gallon or two of
the
> thin ca glue and give it a try.  It has standard dampers like other
grands.
> First one I've seen and may have been modified.  What a mess!  It's been
> doped and badly stained and it is a half step flat.  Yep,  I'm a sucker
for
> punishment, too.
>
> Carl Meyer  Assoc. PTG
> Santa Clara, California
> cmpiano@home.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Friday, October 19, 2001 4:51 AM
> Subject: Re: Square Grands
>
>
> > I would be very interested to see what Joe has to say about the proper
> > tuning technique for a square grand so that you don't end up crippled. I
> did
> > one square with my regular hammer, and after my recovery several days
> later,
> > I made myself a 2-1/2 foot long wrench with a pivot about 2/3 of the way
> > out. It actually works quite well and I can do all the tuning from my
> normal
> > sitting position. Once in a while I will need to stand to see which pin
I
> am
> > placing the head on if I get a little confused. I find my self more and
> more
> > confused as time passes. This is the baking list, no?   ;-)
> >
> > Terry Farrell
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "David and Julie Streit" <pianomann777@hotmail.com>
> > To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > Sent: Friday, October 19, 2001 12:35 AM
> > Subject: Re: Square Grands
> >
> >
> > > Probably a 4 foot tuning hammer!
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Phil Bondi <tito@PhilBondi.com>
> > > To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > > Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2001 6:30 PM
> > > Subject: Re: Square Grands
> > >
> > >
> > > > > And I don't employ the use of a Chiropractor, because I do it
> > correctly.
> > > > >
> > > > ..and in your opinion, what is 'correctly'?
> > > >
> > > > Chiropractorly Dependent Phil
> > > >
> > > >
> >
>
>