<br><br> <div><span class="gmail_quote">On 8/30/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">John Delacour</b> <<a href="mailto:JD@pianomaker.co.uk">JD@pianomaker.co.uk</a>> wrote:</span> <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">Michael Magness wrote:<br>> ...true you have to reduce the hammer shanks a little, if using the<br>> originals, to remove all the glue... <br>Why?  The glue can be removed without removing any wood and once the end<br>of the shanks have been soaked and allowed to dry out they are the same<br>diameter, or even a little more, than they were originally.<br><br> JD</blockquote> <div> </div> <div> </div><br> <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">Hi John,</blockquote> <div> </div> <div>I believe soaking the shanks would create some of the problems one was attempting to bypass. Is this your method for removing the glue without reducing the shanks? If you soak the ends what's to stop the soaking agent, whatever that is, from continuing into the shank and causing it to warp, twist, bend etc.? Secondly the assumption is being made that the glue being used would be hide glue. I have found the relatively new Titebond Molding and Trim glue to be a superior glue for hanging hammers, requiring a clean wood surface with no old glue. <br> </div></div><br>Mike<br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Never become so much of an expert that you stop gaining expertise. View life as a continuous learning experience. <br>- Denis Waitley<br><br><br>Michael Magness<br>Magness Piano Service <br>608-786-4404<br><a href="http://www.IFixPianos.com">www.IFixPianos.com</a><br>email <a href="mailto:mike@ifixpianos.com">mike@ifixpianos.com</a>