<br><br> <div><span class="gmail_quote">On 9/17/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">Leslie Bartlett</b> <<a href="mailto:l-bartlett@sbcglobal.net">l-bartlett@sbcglobal.net</a>> wrote:</span> <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid"> <div> <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2">I bought an impact hammer from Schaff, dropped a 3/8" shield about 5" long around the handle, filled the space with epoxy, then added a tennis racket handle tape and think I've got a marvelous impact tool. </font></span></div> <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2">les bartlett</font></span></div><br> <div lang="en-us" dir="ltr" align="left"> <hr> <font face="Tahoma" size="2"><b>From:</b> <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" target="_blank">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a> [mailto:<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" target="_blank"> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:pianotuna55@comcast.net" target="_blank">pianotuna55@comcast.net</a><br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, September 17, 2007 8:36 PM <br><b>To:</b> Pianotech List<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: Impact tuning hammers<br></font><br> </div> <div><span class="e" id="q_115166d17b07091b_1"> <div></div> <div>Hi Tom:</div> <div>Years ago, I bought a Keys hammer from Schaff and thought it would be great because of the adjustable weight but the overall weight was too heavy and really tired my entire arm.  After one piano I was gone!  Also the shaft is too small and needs padding as Bill mentioned.  Well, I put mine back in a tool box and there it sat for years until a friend of  in our chapter showed me his Reyburn hammer and said use it until next meeting and let me know what you think.  The hammer is lighter than any of the other hammers, the shaft is padded with rubber golf grip and the weight is fixed.   After one pitch raise I was sold!  It works.   They are a little pricey but  a great tool  no matter how tight the pins.  The weight doesn't need to be adjusted.   The trick was to lighten the entire hammer.  It may/may not be for you.  Good luck looking........ </div> <div>Howard Jackson</div> <blockquote style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">-------------- Original message -------------- <br>From: "Thos Carpenter" <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:cathomas1003@qwest.net" target="_blank"> cathomas1003@qwest.net</a>> <br> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">Dear List,</font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">I am looking at impact tuning hammers.  The only ones I`ve found so far are 2 that Schaff offers and the ones available from Reyburn.</font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">I am intrigued by the Keyes lever (Schaff) because it has an adjustable weight to control the effect based on tuning pin torque.</font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">Are there any more available an/or comments?</font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">thanks,</font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">Tom Carpenter</font></div></blockquote><br></span></div> <p><font size="2"><span class="q">No virus found in this incoming message.<br>Checked by AVG Free Edition.<br></span>Version: 7.5.487 / Virus Database: 269.13.21/1012 - Release Date: 09/16/2007 6:32 PM<br></font></p></div> </blockquote></div> <div><br>Hi Tom,</div> <div> </div> <div>I have no experience with them and have never had any interest in trying them. I've seen them advertised with the exotic woods and more exotic prices but I always figured if I just kept my concentration on the job at hand I'd do fine with my old rosewood extension hammer(the one I've never extended). Yes, I've had the odd Baldwin that was pinned so tight, I was positive I put a twist in those pins but those are rare birds these days. I'm in my 38th year and haven't come across the piano yet that was so tight I needed a $250 or $300 tuning hammer to do the job. Fine tuning is about nuance, how doesone get nuance out of an IMPACT hammer? I've never been able to figure that out. Of course I'm 6'4" weigh in about 285 and have a 38" sleeve length so I may have some advantage over some of the other guys, size wise. However 2 years ago this November I took a fall while I was putting the siding on my shop and couldn't raise my right arm above my shoulder when I got up. I went to the clinic and the doc said I had a muscle tear, gave me a prescription for an antinflammatory. 3 weeks later I had an appointment to see my regular Doc and the shoulder still hurts, he checks it out and says he thinks it's a rotator cuff tear and sends me to Physical therapy. 6 weeks later I'm not improving, therapist sends me back to the doc who orders an MRI. I had a full tear in my right rotator cuff, I found this out Feb 2, I did the original injury Nov. 9, I go to see the surgeon who says, I think you rehabbed it tuning pianos! He could do surgery but it would mean 6 months downtime! I'm doing pretty good as is, I can even lift a piano! </div> <div>My point is I tuned, with a regular tuning hammer and an unstable shoulder through one of the busiest times of our  tuning year. Work on your hammer technique, that's my advice.</div> <div> </div> <div>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> </div>