<HTML>             Dave          Ther are many ways as you can see to get the job done. In our shop we string about two pianos a month. We use the 5 lb. coils for sizes 19-18 -17 which is what stringers use the most of. These we have in cake pans with a wooden top and hole cut out in the top and held on with 4 screws around the perimeter to pinch it to the rolled lip of the cake pan. The rest of the wire is in 1 lb. coils This way wire doesn't sit long enough to discolor. I think it would take about ten years to use up a 5 lb.coil of some of the smaller wire sizes even in shops where a good deal of stringing is going on .     Discolored wire can be cleaned up with steel wool or whatever and wiped with a rag but it's a nuisance. >>>>>>>>>>Dale Erwin>>>>>....              <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> For the restringing process, I'd be interested in hearing what different >technicians out there are doing/have done to deal with the "tangled spool >syndrome" ...I know that you just need to patient with these "four-prong >spools"...but I'm just interested in knowing if anyone out there has come >up with some creative solutions to make the job easier and more >expedited. Thanks in advance for your input :) > >Dave </BLOCKQUOTE> </HTML>