Mechanic's stethoscope

[reggaepass at aol.com]

David and List,



The last time I used it was to zero in on a buzz/rattle that seemed to be coming from more than one place in the action cavity.  As is sometimes the case, it turned out to be emanating from one spot, but then traveling via some horizontal member.  At first I thought it might be something in the main action traveling through one of the action rails, but the mechanics stethoscope helped locate the source as a  one of the flanges securing the damper tray (forty year old Bosendprfer 275).  The stethoscope helped in two ways: first, by narrowing it down to the damper tray, and then by helping to locate where on the tray.  The "listening element" is a long, thin metal tube on the steth. I got from Harbor Freight years ago, with an extension for those really hard to reach places.  By touching the end of it to different spots, you can tell where the sound is strongest.

Also, it is one of the many "fun" things hanging on the shop wall that visitors find entertaining (along the Homer Simpson bottle opener, etc.)

Hope that helps,

Alan Eder


-----Original Message-----
From: David Haynes <david at pianogrammar.com>
To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Mon, 28 May 2007 9:49 am
Subject: Mechanic's stethoscope



Alan – Could you give us a description of how you might use it? Where you would start, what you would hear, how you would track down the source? I’m just trying to understand the “detective” procedure and thought a “real world” example might be helpful.

Thanks,
David Haynes


On 5/28/07 9:29 AM, "reggaepass at aol.com" <reggaepass at aol.com> wrote:


Yes.  Although I don't use it very often, when it comes into play, it usually does what nothing else can: isolate the source of an extraneous sound that is traveling around in the beast.  Not a huge investment and definitely paid for itself the first time I used it.

Alan Eder


-----Original Message-----
From: Cy Shuster 
To: Pianotech List 
Sent: Sat, 26 May 2007 8:50 pm
Subject: Re: buzz cautionary taile

Anyone have good luck using a mechanic's stethoscope to isolate the location of a buzz? 
 
--Cy-- 
 
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