<html> <head> <style> .hmmessage P { margin:0px; padding:0px } body.hmmessage { FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:Tahoma } </style> </head> <body class='hmmessage'> On the Music Fair Frankfurt I met a collegue who says that the traditional method of needeling which is tought at the German pianotech school in Ludwigsburg is not the best way for voicing. He claims that hammers should not be needled on the shoulder, better is from the side. I can´t explain that very well in English, but imagine the hammer looking from above. Usualy we needle from above and from the under side. He says it´s better from the left and right side for the beginning. Only the final fine work should be done in the traditional way. He argues that the fibres are destroyed by the traditional way. By needeling from the side the fibre interconnection is loosened instead of destroying single fibres. He is writing a book about that and I saw some excerpts in form of some powerpoint presentations where he placed some microscope pictures of fibres and fibre interconnections. Looked and sounded convincing. He constructed a tool for voicing, a special gripper. That is sold by Jahn. On the Jahn homepage you can see a picture: http://www.pianoteile.com/ Look for *Intonierzange E&B Olbrich* at the top on the right side. Jahn writes about THE REVOLUTION in voicing. As far I understood, in the future there will be a new version available which works from 2 sides, i.e. the needles will come from both sides. I don´t know if this is really a revolution, but it´s lesser work with that gripper. I think I will order one and try it. Gregor <blockquote><hr>From: deanmay@pianorebuilders.com To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: RE: Hard Hammers Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:39:28 -0400 <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=unicode"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft SafeHTML"> <style> .ExternalClass .EC_shape {;} </style> <style> </style> <style> .ExternalClass p.EC_MsoNormal, .ExternalClass li.EC_MsoNormal, .ExternalClass div.EC_MsoNormal {margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';} .ExternalClass a:link, .ExternalClass span.EC_MsoHyperlink {color:blue;text-decoration:underline;} .ExternalClass a:visited, .ExternalClass span.EC_MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:blue;text-decoration:underline;} .ExternalClass p.EC_MsoAutoSig, .ExternalClass li.EC_MsoAutoSig, .ExternalClass div.EC_MsoAutoSig {margin-right:0in;margin-left:0in;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';} .ExternalClass pre {margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:'Courier New';} .ExternalClass span.EC_EmailStyle18 {font-family:Arial;color:navy;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in;} .ExternalClass div.EC_Section1 {page:Section1;} </style> <div class="EC_Section1"> Here is an idea for a needling tool. Someone who has too much time on their hands and likes to modify tools could build one for the rest of us.   What if you took a small air nailer, say for brad nails, and modified the end of the piston that pushes the nail head so that it would accept and capture a single needle? With a single pull of the trigger it should easily fire the needle as deep as you want it to go and the spring loaded piston would pull it right back out. The business end of the nailer could be set up with an adjustable foot that could control the depth of penetration.   The advantages would be the ability to get lots of deep needle penetration on hard hammers without wearing yourself out. It would also probably incur minimal stress on the hammer molding and glue joint compared to traditional needling.   A hand operated staple gun might also work which would give more portability.   <div> Dean Dean May             cell 812.239.3359 PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 Terre Haute IN  47802 </div>   <div> <div class="EC_MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"> <hr align="center" size="2" width="100%"> </div> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of erwinspiano@aol.com Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 11:03 AM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: Re: Hard Hammers </div>     Hi John   Petrified felt,  yes indeed a, Paul Bailey coined phrase.    I've tried the Dremel many times & find it rather useless, but hey they can't be worse. I simply marvel at the lack of interest many piano makers have in tone as is evidenced by what they call piano hammers. Those who purchased the inexpensive pso simply need the paradigm shift that they got a bargain that they now need to invest in to make it a legitimate instrument. Like getting a great car cheap that needs a tune up & further performance enhancement. Ok....adequate car   All our heroic voicing efforts in these cases as I see it.... are not our problem.  I of course, suggest a hammer transplant as usual.   A for effort John   Dale <div id="EC_AOLMsgPart_2_feba23d5-9bde-438b-bc78-702d2d49d87a"> <div> >...then perhaps its your general needling approach that needs adjusting. </div> <div>   </div> <div> Sometimes needles won't work at all.  Last week I was servicing a Wurlitzer </div> <div> grand with petrified hammers. A needle would not penetrate and squeezing </div> <div> with parallel pliers felt more like a piece of wood than felt. </div> <div>   </div> <div> I used a damp cloth and an iron on the shoulders and a little on the crown. </div> <div> This relaxed the hammer enough to be able to squeeze the shoulders with </div> <div> parallel pliers.  It was still plenty loud but the piercing edge was now gone. </div> <div>   </div> <div> I'm considering voicing with a fine drill bit and a Dremel tool on slow speed </div> <div> so as not to scorch the fibers. Maybe this will create small gaps for the fibers </div> <div> to expand into and ease the density. It certainly couldn't hurt these HSO's. </div> <pre>-- </pre> <div> Regards, Jon Page </div> <div>   </div> <div> HSO: Hammer Shaped Object </div> </div> <div id="EC_u8CA736A421110CA-5A4-912"> <div class="EC_MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"> <hr align="center" size="2" width="100%"> </div> Get the <a href="http://www.mapquest.com/toolbar?NCID=mpqmap00030000000003" title="http://www.mapquest.com/toolbar?NCID=mpqmap00030000000003" target="_blank">MapQuest Toolbar</a>, Maps, Traffic, Directions & More! </div> </div> </blockquote> <hr />Connect to the next generation of MSN Messenger <a href='http://imagine-msn.com/messenger/launch80/default.aspx?locale=en-us&source=wlmailtagline' target='_new'>Get it now! </a></body> </html>