Square Grands

[Carl Meyer]

Okay, I tuned that turkey yesterday.  That's why I'm wiped out today.

It was a Chickering square with modern dampers and square tuning pins.  The
lady was desperate to get it playable for her son who was coming for
thanksgiving.

I doped the block with ca glue and just about broke my neck trying to look
through the bottom of my trifocals to see the pins at the back of the piano
to put in the ca.  I'll guess I used about two ounces or less and tuned the
piano one half step flat which is where it was.  Some pins are still loose
but tunable.  I only waited a half hour before starting to tune.  I used a
12 inch shaft that I'd made from a 7/16 hex rod.  I started by using an 8
inch shaft coupled with an eighth inch coupling to the 12 inch shaft, but
found it too flexible.

She paid $350 for this piano 35 years ago.  It was refinished and is
gorgeous, but the hammers etc are sad.

I explained to her that I couldn't guarantee the results but since a bunch
of weirdoes on the internet said it might work I might be willing to give it
a try.  She begged me to try.

She left before I was done and her husband paid me.  She called me after I
got home and thanked me and said the piano is now playable.  Of course the
real reason she called me was to tell me that I'd left my flannel shirt on
the living room chair.
(It's getting chilly here now).

Ironically, I charged her the same amount she paid for the piano to put it
in maginally playable condition.  That included the first call to evaluate
the piano.

I guess I'll endorse the use of ca glue under certain circumstances.

Thanks for all your posts encouraging the use of this totally crazy glue.

Carl Meyer  Assoc. PTG
Santa Clara, California
cmpiano@home.com



----- Original Message -----
From: "Carl Meyer" <cmpiano@home.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, October 20, 2001 3:53 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
> > > >
> > > >
> >
>