<!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 6.00.2800.1491" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>A while ago I posted questions = regarding purchase of an impact tuning lever. I've been using it for a few months now and = just thought I would report in.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>For a couple years now I have been = rastling with some kind of torn/strained muscle/tendon in my shoulder (thanks to a = Boston studio & a 1098 on the same day) and tendonitis in the = elbow - both in my tuning arm. It had gotten to the point where I had walked = away from several service appointments because I knew tuning that piano would put = me out of work for some weeks.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>I've been using the impact lever for = pitch raises on all vertical pianos unless they have very low-torque tuning pins. I = use my trusty Renner/Bowman lever for tuning verticals and everything on = grands. I pitch-raised Kimball and Baldwin consoles yesterday - = both were raised more than 100 cents - they both got two pitch-raise passes and = then a tuning pass. Both these pianos had excessively tight tuning pins - = easily around 200+ in-lbs. I used the impact lever for these four pitch-raise passes = and I have no arm pain today at all. The impact lever seems to have saved me!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>I impact the bass with my left = hand and the rest of the scale with my right - I'm trying to train myself to become ambidextrous with the impact lever - again, in case I wreck an arm at = some point I could keep tuning. I can see that it will take quite a bit of practice = to become good at fine tuning with the impact lever, but I think using it = for all vertical pitch raises will eventually get me to the point where I can = start attempting using the impact lever for fine tuning - I would like to get = to the point where I can use it for all vertical tuning.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Bottom line: the impact lever has = saved my arm, avoided interruptions in income, and will likely extend my = tuning career (unless soundboard manufacturing can save me from the spinet devils!). I = am very happy I have started using this great tool!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Terry = Farrell</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>