<HTML><BODY BGCOLOR="#ffffff">In a message dated 10/21/02 5:21:59 PM Central Daylight Time, pianotuna@accesscomm.ca writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> Hi, To control the heat on the pliers an ordinary incandescent dimmer can be used. Just put those piano tuning skills to a slighty different use for a few moments! At 02:41 PM 10/21/02 -0700, you wrote: >I like the electric shank benders myself...I just borrowed one from a tech friend...but it is >very easy to blacken the shank...I would suggest the wattage controller to keep the temp. a little lower. > >David I. > >PS.  Why is the Pianotek tool so much more expensive?  Does anyone own one? Regards, Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.M.T., R.P.T. Tuner for the Center of the Arts </BLOCKQUOTE> Don, using an ordinary light dimmer to control any heating device such as shank bender, soldering gun, hot air gun and so on can be dangerous.  Most of the dimmer switches use resistance to control the output, the same as the heating devices use to produce heat.  The combined resistances can easily put to much load on the system and a potential for fire. The wattage controllers work differently and are safe but the technology is more expensive so thats why they get the big bucks. David Koelzer Vintage Pianos DFW</HTML>