<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" = xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" = xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" = xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = name="country-region"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-GB link=blue vlink="#606420" id="role_body" = bottomMargin=7 leftmargin=7 topmargin=7 rightMargin=7> <div class=Section1> Oh! Yes John. I live near Lewes in = <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place = w:st="on">Sussex</st1:place></st1:country-region> where, on Bonfire Night (Nov.5th) the burgers of Lewes all dress up = in costumes and parade through that ancient town with brass and silver = marching bands and blazing torches. It’s quite a sight. Maybe one year I’ll = have a blazing piano mounted on a “float” and have it towed through = the town – and thrown into the river afterwards. Anyone got any ideas = of what piano deserves such an end? (I plump for an Eavestaff pianette) = J<o:p></o:p></span= > Regards<o:p></o:p>= Michael G.(<st1:country-region = w:st="on"><st1:place = w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region>)<o:p></o:p>= <o:p> </o:p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From:</spa= n> John Delmore [mailto:jodel@kairos.net] Sent: 03 October 2005 = 18:02 To: 'Pianotech' Subject: RE: some days = you get what you ask for<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> Just be sure not = to let the torch singe your hair!!  (Couldn’t resist!  Same as = the wrest pin/tuning pin, I’m sure you know that, across the pond, a = torch is a stick with fire on the end!)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p>= <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From:</spa= n> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Michael Gamble Sent: Monday, October 03, = 2005 12:41 PM To: Piannaman@aol.com; pianotech@ptg.org Subject: RE: some days = you get what you ask for<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> Yes, = Dave,<o:p></o:p> That was some day for you. I always = try to repair broken bass strings whenever possible, even if it means cutting = back the windings on the speaking length and making my gnott there. I find it = works for maybe the knot replaces the missing mass of copper. I did that on = one-of-a-pair of bass strings in an old Bluthner upright (vertical) and there was no mis-match – isn’t that something? As for treble pairs = – again I try repair by “pulling it round”. Of course this can only = be done if the break occurs at the wrest pin (sorry, tuning pin). I keep the = string on the hitch by using a mini vise-clamp or even a surgical clamp (Joe G = <G> gave it another name, but I’ve forgotten). My light frequently = comes from a torch held in the teeth! Yummy!<o:p></o:p> Regards from the failing light of a = cloudy evening in The Village.<o:p></o:p> Michael G.(<st1:place = w:st="on"><st1:country-region = w:st="on">UK</st1:country-region></st1:place>)<o:p></o:p>= <o:p> </o:p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From:</spa= n> Piannaman@aol.com [mailto:Piannaman@aol.com] Sent: 03 October 2005 = 05:40 To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: some days you = get what you ask for<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <div> List,<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p>= </div> <div> Friday was certainly an = interesting day on the job.  First piano was an old Erhard upright, a nice old = box made in 1919, pretty good shape.  It had a broken high treble = string on it, which I'd been aware of, and I replaced it no = problem.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p>= </div> <div> Next piano, Acrosonic, circa = 1950s.  Pitch raise, twang, G#2 wound bicord snapped. A perfect candidate = for one of the universal bass strings a lug around.  As usual, spinning off = excess copper was the most time consuming part of this job.  Again, no = real problem.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p>= </div> <div> I was thinking about how much I've improved in various repairs, thanks to many tips gleaned from this list = and elsewhere in the PTG.  This type of repair was once something I = dreaded, now it's just something I do in the line of duty.  "But," = I told myself, "don't get cocky.  How long's it been since you've = replaced a long wire in an understrung section of a piano?"  It had been = awhile.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p>= </div> <div> Which brings me to the next = piano:  Steinway, a regular client, a nemesis piano that always finds a way to = lengthen the appointment beyond an acceptable length.  A 1915 or so M = re-whatevered badly a couple of decades ago.  I was hoping for the best, but it = was the usual 8-10 cent late-summer pitch raise.  No problem, at least = until I got to A3.  Twang.  The A#3-A3 wire snapped.  Went to the = car, got stringing stuff including tube to get string onto hitch pin.  In = the failing light of the day, I got the job done, but time would have been saved had = I brought in my shop light so I could see better to route the wire through = the bridge pins.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p>= </div> <div> The upside:  3 strings on the = day, no bloody finger tips.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p>= </div> <div> The weirdness:  Haven't had a = string break in a few months.  Why did they all gang up on me on one = day???<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p>= </div> <div> Tip #1:  putting some tension = on the wire makes it MUCH easier to get the string placed properly around the = bridge pins in the understrung areas.  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p>= </div> <div> Tip #2:  Lighting is a good = thing when doing this sort of job!<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p>= </div> <div> Thanks for = reading,<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p>= </div> <div> Dave = Stahl<o:p></o:p> </div> </div> </body> </html>