<!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 6.00.2600.0" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>No reason for your thumb to hurt = Barbara, you just need the right tools. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Most levelling needs to be done in the = low tenor, center section and upper bass. Fortunately, there are agraffes = against which to work. I have a home made tool made of maple and wire which = levers against the top of the agraffe to allow the speaking length of the = strings to be levelled. It also has a brass face on the other end and a spirit level, = similar to Mother's tool. This tool would probably be better if it were made of = solid brass, but I'm not set up to do such things. Ocassionally the tip breaks = off of the wire, but it only takes a few minutes to fashion a new = one.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Owen </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Kingston, ON Canada</FONT></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=piano57@insightbb.com = href="mailto:piano57@insightbb.com">Barbara Richmond</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, October 14, 2005 = 9:59 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Remedial String = Leveling</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>OK folks,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I've been amazed when = I've read on this list that string leveling in grands is so simple and takes so little time. I know I read it--it made a big impression on me.  = Well, it takes me a long time and it's work!  I push from below, = I pull from above. I guess my results are OK, but sometimes I can't get = them perfect and give up.  My best tool for pulling up is a dowel = with a hole drilled through with heavy piano wire threaded through and = made into a hook.  I read the archives about how great the string hook Don = Mannino uses, <that I have> and how well it works for other people.  If I could sing, I'd break out into a soulful = rendition of Gershwin's "But Not for Me."   :-[    = </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I brace my arms on the piano, = and pull with both hands.  I'm always thrilled when pushing from underneath and = the tool slips and I smash my thumb on the plate or pinblock or whatever.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Is there a secret or am I just a = weakling (and a short one at that)?  Is it more difficult to level the strings in = a piano whose strings are 10 or more years old?  So, what are the best = techniques or tools?   Somehow I've missed out on this = information.  It won't be the first time something obvious has gotten past me.  No = need to get into how to tell the things are level, that's no problem = and there was just a thread about that if I remember correctly (and I've got = that tool, too).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Barbara (I am frustrated over = this and my thumb hurts) Richmond, RPT</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial = size=2></FONT> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>