What I have done before to eliminate ratcheting wires in agraffes is to replace the wire. I had an idea the last time - or maybe it was someone on the list :-) - Install a shim to alter the termination point on the wire. I picked up some .017" x 1/4" brass stock to experiment the next opportunity. The one on the left is single layer and the right is folded. I seated them with a punch which caused the curl. The ratcheting is gone and the tuning is smooth. This would be a quick field work-around. I would use 3/8" stock and make them neater. I settled on 1/8 x 1/4" half-round stock. Looks much better. The wire is lifted with an offset screw driver with a piece of plastic credit card stock underneath (a palette knife underneath still marred the plate). No need to let the tension down, net result 1/4 tone rise in pitch. I need to install these throughout the entire tenor section. The beauty of this is that it is non-intrusive and keeps a piano tunable without the need for restringing. A time and money saver which really helps with a spec piano or an owner with no budget for repairs. Keep this in your bag of hero-maker tricks. I'm making extras to carry to tunings! -- Regards, Jon Page -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: counter bearing shim.jpg Type: application/octet-stream Size: 53416 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20100411/fe0b846d/attachment-0002.obj> -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: counter bearing shim3.jpg Type: application/octet-stream Size: 85136 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20100411/fe0b846d/attachment-0003.obj>
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