<html> <body> I have a rather simple loop maker that I purchased from the late Bob Russell Sr. It is both simple and easy to use. It produces predictable clean coils every time but is not without the possibility of gaffe's if your not paying attention to what you're doing. I'll give a brief description of it's construction. The body of it is from about a 1 1/2" hardwood dowel with a hole drilled through it longitudinally. In that hole is placed a brass sleeve insert through which ultimately the wire will pass on it's way to the looping end. There is another hole drilled through it tangentially(?) which has a key pin ( I think) going all the way through and protruding out each side to act as a handle to turn the dowel around the string passing through it. At the business end is a small tack or nail with a head driven in to one side of the brass sleeve. To use, all one does is to pass the string through the sleeve and out the other side. Using round jawed pliers make a loop in the string. Put the end of the loop against and under the nail head and slowly rotate the tool making the string end rotate around and thus giving you the coils. The only problem I ever have with it is visualizing which direction to rotate the tool for the desired outcome on the string. I like the tail to stop and rotate downwards against the plate. FWIW, I hope this helps someone. If you need a picture just yell. Greg Newell At 07:58 PM 6/23/2003, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:of= fice:office" xmlns:w = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word"> Hi Dave, You have to practice a bit, trying different tensions. At first I used to break or weaken the strings as well. But now I find the loop maker works well. It really is a tool that practice makes perfect. (Well almost) :-) Regards, John M. Ross Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada <a href="mailto:jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca">jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca</a> <dl> <dd>----- Original Message ----- <dd>From: <a href="mailto:pdtek@mchsi.com">Dave Bunch</a> <dd>To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</a> <dd>Sent: Monday, June 23, 2003 8:36 PM <dd>Subject: Re: Restringing <dd>As far as loop makers go, I would warn someone new to this to avoid the loop makers with the crank commonly seen in the catalogs. They are good for nothing but breaking wire. With just a little practice, one can make a first rate loop by hand using nothing more than a nail in a vise. This will work fine for the 99% of pianos that have just one or two looped strings. <dd>  <dd>Dave Bunch <dd>----- Original Message ----- <dd>From: <a href="mailto:tune4u@earthlink.net">Alan</a> <dd>To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">'Pianotech'</a> <dd>Sent: Monday, June 23, 2003 11:28 AM <dd>Subject: RE: Restringing <dd>Yes … <dd>  <dd>Not a complete treatise, but a few thoughts. <dd>  <dd>First time, it will take you close to three 8-days. <dd>An experienced person ca= n do it in about two days. <dd>I don’t think it’s= fair for people to pay for my “learning curves,” so I would bill the job based on= , say, 18 hours. <dd>Take the job. Learn and earn. <dd>  <dd>Critical things to have, purchase, or make-your-own … <dd>  <dd>1.<font= face="Times New Roman, Times" size=1 color="#000080">  &nbs= p;    A pinblock jack <dd>2.<font= face="Times New Roman, Times" size=1 color="#000080">  &nbs= p;    Coil maker <dd>3.<font= face="Times New Roman, Times" size=1 color="#000080">  &nbs= p;    2˝ lb sledge hammer= (for fine tuning and watch repair) <dd>4.<font= face="Times New Roman, Times" size=1 color="#000080">  &nbs= p;    Real wire cutters, no= t pin nippers or light duty electrical “dikes” <dd>5.<font= face="Times New Roman, Times" size=1 color="#000080">  &nbs= p;    Heavy gloves or, bett= er yet, glass-handler’s gloves <dd>6.<font= face="Times New Roman, Times" size=1 color="#000080">  &nbs= p;    Eye protection!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Many jobs call for eye protection: Restringing SCREAMS for it. Wear industrial eye protection, the kind that protects from the sides, too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <dd>7.<font= face="Times New Roman, Times" size=1 color="#000080">  &nbs= p;    Band-Aids (Don’t ma= ke your own.) <dd>  <dd>Helpful things to have … <dd>  <dd>1.<font= face="Times New Roman, Times" size=1 color="#000080">  &nbs= p;    A ˝” drive variab= le speed electric drill with “pin removing bit” (see archives). Ľ” dril= l will not do, doesn’t have enough torque, especially at slower speeds and you don’t want to spin the pins so fast that you set the piano on fire or, more likely, damage the holes. <dd>2.<font= face="Times New Roman, Times" size=1 color="#000080">  &nbs= p;    New set of pin collar= s (depending). New hitch pin punchings, felts, braid, etc. (depending) <dd>3.<font= face="Times New Roman, Times" size=1 color="#000080">  &nbs= p;    Tuning pin crank <dd>4.<font= face="Times New Roman, Times" size=1 color="#000080">  &nbs= p;    Loop maker <dd>  <dd>Look up in the archives = or read Reblitz, etc., about measuring strings, marking where string sizes change, etc. <dd>  <dd>Examine the piano carefu= lly before you start: <dd>1.<font= face="Times New Roman, Times" size=1 color="#000080">  &nbs= p;    Make sure the legs ar= e secure and nothing is wobbly. 999/1000 times this is no problem. The 1/1000th time, a disaster can ensue. <dd>2.<font= face="Times New Roman, Times" size=1 color="#000080">  &nbs= p;    Pull the lid hinge pi= ns with the lid closed. Unless it is a very small piano, get the owner or someone to help you lift off the lid and put it in a safe place. <dd>3.<font= face="Times New Roman, Times" size=1 color="#000080">  &nbs= p;    Examine the pinblock = and bridges very carefully. Discuss problems with owner. NOW is the time to make any repairs. <dd>4.<font= face="Times New Roman, Times" size=1 color="#000080">  &nbs= p;    Note any problems or anticipated problems. Write them down. Have the owner look at them with you and sign the paper acknowledging the problems. Again 1/1000, but you don’t want any arguments later. I would take a torque wrench and measure each pin—or at least a good sampling—as I made the first tension reduction turns of the pin to make sure you spot any “patterns” suggesting block damage or any pin holes that might need a little epoxy, etc. Easier to do it now than to have to remove pins later. <dd>  <dd>Have fun. <dd>  <dd>Alan R. Barnard <dd>Salem, MO <dd>-----Original Message----- <dd>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" eudora="autourl">mailto:pian= otech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] On Behalf Of Richard Strang <dd>Sent: Monday, June 23, 2003 10:14 AM <dd>To: pianotech (E-mail) <dd>Subject: Restringing <dd>  <dd>Hello, all, <dd>    Piano restringing has always been a little out of my line of work, as I do not have a shop. However, I have a good customer that is requesting me to restring his grand on site, and I'm debating on whether I should accept the job or not. Any advice? <dd>  <dd>Richard <dd>--- <dd>Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. <dd>Checked by AVG anti-virus system (<a href="http://www.grisoft.com/"= eudora="autourl">http://www.grisoft.com</a>). <dd>Version: 6.0.489 / Virus Database: 288 - Release Date: 6/10/2003 <dd>--- <dd>Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. <dd>Checked by AVG anti-virus system (<a href="http://www.grisoft.com/"= eudora="autourl">http://www.grisoft.com</a>). <dd>Version: 6.0.489 / Virus Database: 288 - Release Date: 6/10/2003 </dl> --- Checked by AVG anti-virus system (<a href="http://www.grisoft.com/"= eudora="autourl">http://www.grisoft.com</a>). Version: 6.0.490 / Virus Database: 289 - Release Date: 6/16/2003</blockquote> <x-sigsep></x-sigsep> Greg Newell Greg's piano Forté <a href="mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net"= eudora="autourl">mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net</a></body> </html>