<!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 5.50.4616.200" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry, while I do not do this, there is = a way to make the loop using vice grips. You can get a much smaller loop that = closes up much better.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My rule of thumb to make the = knot;  1. hold both string ends the same way and make the loop with the end comming on = the same side of the string.  2. fold the loop over the end so that you have = the end closest to you. Doing this will form a square knot, which looks neat. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>But not to worry either knot will hold = as well, the other just looks like a cuckel burr.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>3. If the string breaks while = rerplacing, use new string</FONT></DIV> <DIV> <SPAN id=__#Ath#SignaturePos__></SPAN> </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=mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com href="mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com">Farrell</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> Thursday, August 23, 2001 = 3:53 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Joining PTG (to Patrick)</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>I think Jon Page covered this pretty well, but additionally, the = drawings that I carry in my stringing tool box on service calls are the ones = appearing on page 106 in Reblitz, 2nd edition. The first one I ever did = worked great - tried it in a client's home! Of the couple dozen or so I have = now done, only one failed, and that went right away, so I could redo it = right then and there. I did one the other day in the plain wire section just like = the one on page 111 of the same book - right up within the tuning pins. Boy = was I proud of myself! Just give it a whirl. I had always wondered what = those round needle-nose plyers were for. I had them for about two years before I = ever tried to tie a knot. I figured I could not do it either - but I was = wrong! Good luck.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Terry Farrell <SPAN = id=__#Ath#SignaturePos__></SPAN> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE 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=Billbrpt@AOL.COM href="mailto:Billbrpt@AOL.COM">Billbrpt@AOL.COM</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> Thursday, August 23, = 2001 5:22 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Joining PTG (to Patrick)</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2>In a = message dated 8/23/01 4:10:40 PM Central Daylight Time, <BR><A href="mailto:cedel@supernet.com">cedel@supernet.com</A> (Clyde = Hollinger) writes: <BR><BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff = 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px" TYPE="CITE">Patrick, <BR><BR>       Several things.  First, it does not take much time to join PTG.  You = <BR>need to get an application and submit it to your local chapter, and they = <BR>need to <BR>accept it, for which you will probably need to attend a = chapter meeting.   <BR>If you <BR>are accepted, I highly recommend = you attend the chapter meetings regularly. <BR>       Second, you do not = need to pass exams to join PTG, but you must to <BR>become an RPT = (Registered Piano Technician).  I urge you to make this your <BR>goal, = <BR>as it forces you to learn things you may otherwise never get around to <BR>practicing.  The PTG has assembled resources you can buy = that are well <BR>worth the <BR>price. <BR>       Third, if you are = "terrible" at replacing/splicing strings, you may <BR>be <BR>going at it = wrongly, or you may just need more practice.  And some of them <BR>are a <BR>bugger for nearly everyone, I suspect.  Can you get a = junker piano <BR>somewhere to <BR>practice on?  That's what I did. =  You can practice all kinds of things to <BR>your <BR>heart's content = without being embarrassed if you botch things up. <BR><BR>Regards, = <BR>Clyde Hollinger, RPT <BR>Lititz, PA, USA <BR><BR>Patrick Greene wrote: <BR><BR>> I have been busy trying to get my <BR>> BS in = business and have not had the time to join PTG.  I fully intend to <BR>do = <BR>> it, but feel a little worried that I would have a hard time = passing the <BR>> exam.  It is not the tuning part that I am worried = about.  It is the <BR>string <BR>> tying test.  I am = terrible at replacing strings and/or tying them for that <BR>> matter, = therefore I feel that I would not pass that part of the test. <BR></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 = size=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR>Nicely stated Clyde.  I didn't see the = original post but I'd like to add <BR>something.  While splicing a = string is part of the Technical Exam, you can <BR>still pass that test even if = you refuse to or don't know how to splice a <BR>string. <BR><BR>Some = people are taught that string splicing is a substandard way to make a = <BR>repair and thus have never learned the technique.  If a technician is very = <BR>well practiced in all other aspects, missing that one task won't = cause that <BR>person to fail the exam.  In fact, the exam is = designed to have enough <BR>difficulty to make perfection a nearly unattainable = goal. <BR><BR>On the other hand, string splicing is not all that difficult = once you <BR>understand and practice the technique.  Having someone = who knows how to do it <BR>well show you step by step is the best way to = learn. <BR><BR>Be challenged, not intimidated by the PTG Exams! <BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF">Bill Bremmer RPT <BR>Madison, Wisconsin</FONT> </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>