<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>Hi Alan,</DIV> <DIV>I have never tried a splice with a smaller wire. </DIV> <DIV>What I do, so that I have larger size wire pieces to use for a splice, is to save the ends, when I restring a bass section.</DIV> <DIV>I have a selection, of 6" pieces, in order, in a little roll pack, it takes very little space, and is in my ready use tool bag.</DIV> <DIV>Regards,</DIV> <DIV>John M. Ross<BR>Windsor, Nova Scotia.<BR><A href="mailto:jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca">jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca</A></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=mathstar@salemnet.com href="mailto:mathstar@salemnet.com">Alan R. Barnard</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, November 02, 2002 3:35 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> TINK</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Had to unbridge all bass and many treble strings on Hamilton Studio to repair bridge cracks (heater bar, no humidistat ...)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>3 of the 5 heaviest bass strings and 6 of the heavier plain wires went "TINK" (you know the sound) --some as I was turning them down (loosening the wire), others while I was very carefully starting to tighten them. A becket breaking nightmare!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>That is some heavy, heavy wire: trying to form new beckets and get them in the holes is not fun. One I had to splice: Ever try tying knots in the core wire of a Hamilton A0 (1st string)? Here's the real question ...</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The biggest wire I had with me is #20 and it's smaller than whatever that stuff is in the A0 (didn't mic it but it's fat) ... with the knot above the speaking length, is there any problem with using a somewhat lighter wire, other than the potential for the "SNAP, TWANGGGGG, SPROIOIOIOING" of a breaking string if it can't take the tension?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>... and, no, the strings and coils were not dusty, rusty, or crusty. Why did they break? Why me? Why late on a Friday afternoon an hour from home? I, myself, almost went snap, twang, sproing!</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Alan Barnard</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Getting Over It in Salem, MO</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>