[pianotech] Slipping Becket

[Encore Pianos]

Oh good!!  I'm an exhibitionist as well as a mashochist too, so this could
work out really well.  

But I'm a little afraid of watching myself do this though.  I say some of
those 7 words you can't say on TV, and my mother might wash out my mouth
with soap.  (She's done it before!)  I'm scared she'll make me floss with
piano wire, too, and mess with the inharmonicity in my head.  I get 12 radio
stations through a filling in my tooth you know (don't worry, they're all
classical!), , so I don't know what could happen.    

Gasp, am I saying too much?

Will

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of David Skolnik
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2012 12:04 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Slipping Becket

2 options come to mind.
1) make a video of yourself doing this the next time you have a chance.  In
the future, when the urge arises, watch the video.
1a) Post video on Youtube.  You'll make tons of $ and never have to work
again
2) Pick up a small (5' or under) grand to keep in your shop.  Have someone
else string it in extended-becket style.  It's there for you when the mood
strikes, like a single-day dosage.

Ron - you're uncharacteristic indiscretion can certainly be overlooked,
unless you decide to run for office.  Any office.

David Skolnik


At 11:27 AM 1/27/2012, you wrote:
>That's definitely worthy, Ron.  However, I really enjoy the 110 plus 
>cursing and gnashing of teeth struggles with the becket breaker muckled 
>onto the tuning pin when I destring a piano.  What can I do to replace 
>this addictive act of self-abuse so that I don't get bored?
>
>Will Truitt
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On 
>Behalf Of Ron Nossaman
>Sent: Friday, January 27, 2012 11:01 AM
>To: pianotech at ptg.org
>Subject: Re: [pianotech] Slipping Becket
>
>On 1/27/2012 9:11 AM, David Love wrote:
>
> > There is clearly something about the pin which is causing this to 
> > happen but I'm not sure exactly what that is.  Thoughts?
>
>There was a discussion about this sometime last year, buried among the 
>HL bitch posts. A sharper bend at the becket *might* work, but I 
>guarantee that a longer becket bent over to prevent it's being pulled 
>back into the pin will lock it in.
>
>I know, HORRORS!!!! But it's one pin, and immediately fixes the 
>symptoms without unduly disturbing anything else. It's a pain to remove 
>later. So what? It's ONE PIN. In futile hope of heading off the 
>multiple lectures someone is almost sure to deliver on the 
>unprofessionalism of stringing a piano this way, no, I don't recommend 
>that. This, however, is a matter of expedient practicality.
>
>Since someone else out there is certain to actually string entire 
>pianos that way, like the piano I have in the shop at the moment, I 
>have a further recommendation.
>
>Faced with a double bend locked in becket on every single 4/0 pin in 
>this piano, I dug out an old becket breaker and fired up the bench 
>grinder. One of the problem with becket breakers is that if any of the 
>becket protrudes from the far side from the primary bend, the breaker 
>will jam on it and precipitate 200+ life and death struggles in the 
>course of destringing. The pictured modification largely prevents that.
>Normally, I just let the tension down, pry the becket out with an awl 
>and lever the coil off the top of the pin, and cut the strings at the 
>agraffe or capo, then pull the plate with the pins still in the block.
>In this case, I found it easier to cut the beckets at the primary bend 
>with the modified tool, and pull the pins out through the coils with my 
>air impact driver.
>
>For what it's worth,
>Ron N