Hi Ric, I'll just add that since I took some years off to do the mommy thing, I was very aware of having to <remember> what my hammer technique really was. Before my leave, it was so natural and fast, that for years I hadn't thought about it at all. When I got back to work, I got hired to tune the S&S D that others claimed was un-tunable (it's not really un-tunable, just troublesome). My good friend, Mr. Bill, quizzed me about what the piano's problems were and what I was actually doing with that lever. As usual, his advice was right on the mark, and it was just what I had been taught earlier, but I had sort of <forgotten> how important it really was. (tsk...tsk...how could I admit that?) Before my leave, I tuned, I was fast, it worked. After my leave, I had to <think> about what I was doing. Geeze... :-) Can't say that I have my pre-leave speed (which I find annoying), but the control & stability are there and that's what counts. I've never considered that the jerk and bump hammer technique might cause popping pins. I always thought it had something to do with the stringing/pinning & original dealing with the pinblock process. Can't say I've ever worked on a piano that developed the problem during my tenure of servicing it--though the longest, uninterrupted stretch of time I'm talking about would be 14 years. Dang, I have to get to work...I wish I was done, I need to get ready for Christmas! Yikes. Barbara Richmond, RPT ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ric Brekne" <ricbrek@broadpark.no> To: "pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 2:23 AM Subject: The Art & Science, was RE: Setting tuning pins > Hi Barbara > > For what its worth, I also use a kind of jerking style and find it to be > the only thing that yields the stability I want. Tho I dont necessarily > come down from above. Keeping slight pressure on the pin downwards > (outwards on the grand.. or towards the string) while moving the pin > apparently counters the need to <<untwist>> or release any tension in the > pin. Actually I experience often as not that the pitch will rise a little > after leaving the pin if it does anything. One trick I sometimes use to > check whether got the pin where I want it is to see if equal (slight) > pressure up and down on the pin changes the pitch from the desired pitch > in equal amounts. > > I agree also on the tuning unisons as I go bit. > > All this said, I have begun to speculate in the recent past whether or not > jerking the pins into place... even with tiny jerks as I use somehow > contributes to the development of <<popping pins>> i.e. pins that simply > will not turn smoothly. Pure speculation at this point... or perhaps not > even more then a sneaking suspicion > > Cheers > RicB > > Barbara Richmond writes: > > OK, another voice. Smooth pull rarely works for me and has never worked > for me on a S&S. The only way to stability for me is the jerk method, > coming down from above pitch and <good> test blows. One D I take care of > in a concert setting has plenty of tuning issues--pins bearing on the > plate, popping pins, all our favorites, yet the tunings hold up > beautifully using this technique (knock on wood). Oh, yes, and tuning > stability went way up when I switched to tuning unisons as I go. Someone > suggested a drop of CA for the popping pins. I haven't tried it yet. > Anyone? > > Barbara Richmond, RPT > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >
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