<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name=ProgId content=Word.Document> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 9"> <meta name=Originator content="Microsoft Word 9"> <link rel=File-List href="cid:filelist.xml@01C7C80A.45C1B7A0"> <title>Tool quality</title>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US style='tab-interval:.5in'> <div class=Section1> I’ve been harping about this for years, but no one else seems to have any problem with our illustrious large supply house.  I miss the days when there was some competition between Tuner’s Supply, Ford Piano Supply, APSCO, Pacific Piano Supply, and Schaff, but now Schaff dominates, with Pianotek selling a smaller variety, more expensive, but higher quality stuff, and the other “houses” having fairly limited catalogs.  <o:p></o:p>             With some tools, you have no choice; you just have to buy the only one available, then alter it yourself or have a machinist, jeweler, welder, or blacksmith make it better so it won’t break the first time you use it.  Or look for sales of tools by retiring technicians who may have some older, better quality stuff. <o:p></o:p>             I wonder if the situation is the same in Europe?  The Germans are known, at least in the past, for making high-quality tools.  Surely they don’t all buy American (read Taiwanese) stuff.  <o:p></o:p>             I’ve annealed and re-shaped many of my tools, then had a welder, jeweler, or blacksmith re-temper them, since I’m not always sure I have a hot enough torch, and can’t always determine the proper shade of straw yellow at which to quench it, and don’t always know whether to quench in water or oil, or just to let cool in the air...depends on the particular alloy, I believe.   <o:p></o:p>             Complaining to Schaff does no good.  They don’t care.  Same with quality of bushing cloth, key buttons, action parts, and so-called “duplication” service (of bass bridges, etc.).<o:p></o:p>             Get all the smaller catalogs by the small suppliers listed in the PTG Directory: Mazzaglia Tools, Mother Goose Tools, Spurlock, Coleman, etc.   <o:p></o:p>             --David Nereson, RPT <o:p></o:p> <![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p> -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]On Behalf Of David Haynes Sent: Monday, July 16, 2007 3:22 PM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: Tool quality <![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p> I’m new at this but I’ve been sorely disappointed by the quality of some of the hand tools from the large supply houses – simple things like damper wire regulators or action screwdrivers. Lousy plating, too soft or poorly tempered metal. Any suggestions? Thanks, David Haynes <o:p></o:p> </div> </body> </html>