<br><br> <div><span class="gmail_quote">On 11/2/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">Willem Blees</b> <<a href="mailto:wimblees@aol.com">wimblees@aol.com</a>> wrote:</span> <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">I just spent 45 minutes replacing one hammer return spring. 5 minutes to replace the spring, and 40 minutes removing and replacing the fall board and action of a Baldwin Acrosonic spinet. Whoever invented the fall board system on that piano should be shot. No air condition, and today there are Kona winds, which means what ever wind there is comes from the south, it's very humid, and temperature is in the upper 80's. Sweating like a pig. (I know, quit your bitchin'.)  :) <br> <div style="CLEAR: both"><br>Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT<br>Piano Tuner/Technician<br>Honolulu, HI<br>Author of <br>The Business of Piano Tuning<br>available from Potter Press<br><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.pianotuning.com/" target="_blank"> www.pianotuning.com</a></div> <div> <hr style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px"> Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/mailtour/aol/en-us/index.htm?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000970" target="_blank"> AOL Mail</a>!<br> </div></blockquote></div> <div><br><br clear="all">I am with you all the way Willem, I firmly believe they used either the Marquis De Sade or direct descendants to design the falls and cabinetry on many of these especially Baldwin and Kimball.</div> <div> </div> <div>I have found one thing that is a big help, back in '95 I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel and as it progressed I "helped" myself by acquiring an inline power screwdriver, rechargable, for removing the numerous screws of Wurlies, Kimballs and others just to get in and tune. I had the surgery in 2004 but the inline screwdriver by then, my 3rd with removable rechargable batteries, had become a fixture in my toolcase. I find it invaluable for just such a case as you ran into, since you can, one handed, replace screws, at 180rpm, almost effortlessly, while holding the fall in place with the other. I've found it to be a timesaver, wrist saver and it has added uses, pickup a chuck for it, chuck in your bit and drill out hammer butts/heads for new shanks in much less time than the hand method, or screw and heat method. My cordless inline screwdriver is the tool that is most accessible in my toolbag, on top of my stripmute and tuning hammer! </div> <div>Mine is now about 5 or 6 years old and the newer smaller pistol grip models with the NiCad batteries are out with more power but my old Black & Decker inline is all the power I need, more power will strip out wood screws. Being an inline with a locking spindle I can use it like a regular screwdriver with a large comfortable grip to tighten or loosen stubborn screws it has a center pivot so that it does fold to a pistol like grip if it's too long for a given spot. I have my large cordless drill/drivers in my shop for the heavy work. </div> <div>Mike<br>-- <br>The way some people find fault, you'd think there was some kind of reward.<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>