<html><body> <DIV>If a person didn't have a hammer shank, could they use the eraser end of a pencil since it won't slip?  just a thought.</DIV> <DIV>Marshall</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">-------------- Original message -------------- From: "John M. Formsma" <john@formsmapiano.com> <META content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)" name=Generator> <STYLE> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </STYLE> <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:SmartTagType name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType name="PersonName" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType> <STYLE> st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) } </STYLE> <STYLE>  </STYLE> <DIV class=Section1> Richard,<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Moving the string down (or toward the bridge pin at an angle) just a bit from its normal plane. It’s kind of like pressing down on the strings to see if the damper follows the strings. No need to do more than that.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> John Formsma<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <DIV> <DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center> <HR tabIndex=-1 align=center width="100%" SIZE=2> </DIV> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Richard Morgan Sent: Friday, June 09, 2006 10:45 PM To: <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:PersonName w:st="on">Pianotech List</st1:PersonName> Subject: Re: More on hearing protection<o:p></o:p></DIV> <o:p> </o:p> <DIV> <DIV> I suspect I know what you mean by "deflect", but could you say a bit more about that?  Perhaps use another word or phrase.<o:p></o:p></DIV> <DIV>  <o:p></o:p></DIV> <DIV> I appreciate your patience with everyone's curiosity.<o:p></o:p></DIV> <DIV>  <o:p></o:p></DIV> <DIV> Best,<o:p></o:p></DIV> <DIV> Richard<o:p></o:p></DIV> <DIV> ----- Original Message ---- From: John M. Formsma <<st1:PersonName w:st="on">john@formsmapiano.com</st1:PersonName>> To: <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Pianotech List</st1:PersonName> <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Friday, June 9, 2006 7:00:58 PM Subject: RE: More on hearing protection<o:p></o:p> <DIV> OK, tune very softly – just loud enough to hear whatever you’re listening for when you tune. With the hammer shank in the same hand as your lever, set the pin and the string with the lever where you think it won’t move. Then take the shank and slightly deflect the string. Obviously, you don’t want to be Arnold Schwarzenegger here – enough to see a bit more deflection than you think you might get with your severest blows. Experiment – it’s doubtful you will damage anything with a hammer shank. Then check for pitch change. If it’s changed, you didn’t set the string well enough or didn’t deflect the string enough. Repeat until there is no pitch change. Then, to verify this works, get adequate ear protection and beat the stuffing out of the string.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> That’s about as good as I can think to describe it.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Experiment…enjoy!  ;-)<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> John Formsma<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> <DIV> <DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center> <HR tabIndex=-1 align=center width="100%" SIZE=2> </DIV> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Jason Kanter Sent: Friday, June 09, 2006 6:35 PM To: ' <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Pianotech List</st1:PersonName> ' Subject: RE: More on hearing protection<o:p></o:p></DIV>  <o:p></o:p> I'll give it a shot. You say that instead of a hard test blow, you deflect the string with a stick. How, where, what is the sequence?<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> <DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center> <HR tabIndex=-1 align=center width="100%" SIZE=2> </DIV> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of John M. Formsma Sent: Friday, June 09, 2006 3:16 PM To: ' <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Pianotech List</st1:PersonName> ' Subject: RE: More on hearing protection<o:p></o:p> Andrew,<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> I’m not exactly sure just what you’re asking.  Maybe say it a different way?  Sorry to be dense.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> John Formsma<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> <DIV> <DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center> <HR tabIndex=-1 align=center width="100%" SIZE=2> </DIV> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Andrew and Rebeca Anderson Sent: Friday, June 09, 2006 2:14 PM To: <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Pianotech List</st1:PersonName> Subject: RE: More on hearing protection<o:p></o:p></DIV>  <o:p></o:p> John, I'm one of this thumper grasped in my fist test-blowing tuners.  I've always thought there's got to be a better way but haven't got the stability I want without it.  How does it work (mechanically) in practice to play and then test? Andrew At 08:25 PM 6/8/2006, you wrote:<o:p></o:p> Geoff,   I just learned a new thing to allow one to tune a piano at pianissimo levels. *(Courtesy of Leonard Gustafson, RPT, of the Memphis PTG chapter, who picked it up from a Steinway tech doing a technical at one of our chapter meetings.)   Anyway, you use a vertical hammer shank (or something similar) to slightly deflect the string after its tuned. The idea is that a hard test blow will show any string movement (from deflection by the hammer). A deflection by a hammer shank will also do this, but at a greater level than the severest test blow ever could. I used this yesterday on the four pianos I tuned (2 verts & 2 grands), and it worked very well, although its slow at first b/c its a new skill. I gave one string ten whacks as hard as I could, and nothing moved in the slightest. I also did a few hard blows in various sections to ensure that i t works everywhere. Im very glad to know of this as my playing/test blow elbow has been sore lately.   The only downside I can see is that it might take a bit longer at first. (Leonard tunes in 45min to 1 hour, so it hasnt slowed him down.) The positives are that we wont have hearing loss from hard test blows, and body damage is also greatly reduced. Ill gladly trade test blows for a few more years of hearing and less pain.   John Formsma    <o:p></o:p> <DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center> <HR align=center width="100%" SIZE=2> </DIV> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [<A id=bodyLinks href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" target=_blank> mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A>] On Behalf Of Geoff Sykes Sent: Thursday, June 08, 2006 2:00 AM To: Pianotech@Ptg. Org Subject: More on hearing protection   With the "Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, Part 2" article in the Q&A section of The Journal, I'd like to hear from some fellow tech's who have tried the Zem earplugs, by Sensgard. They're ugly, but the technology is such a different approach than just a simp le "plug" that perhaps they could be very useful. I have been using 32db foam Hearos, but I find that while the foam is comfortable I get a lot of attenuation variation from one set to the next, and they're not that flat in response. I also have a pair of Etymotic High Fidelity Earplugs, (identical to the Hearos High Fidelity Ear Filters), which work great. My only complaints are that they're not that long term comfortable and that since the frequency response is much flatter, the attenuation, (rated at 20db), is perhaps a little too much. Zem claims 32db reduction.   -- Geoff Sykes -- Assoc. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p></DIV></DIV> <DIV> <o:p> </o:p></DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></body></html>