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<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>Robert,<BR><BR>What books are you reading=
for piano tuning and repair? Piano work uses a lot=
of logic and common sense thinking. For instance in the=
situation you are asking about. You had a sluggish hammer=
or when retrieving the mute you noticed the spring=
was out of its slot. You pushed the hammers=
forward and got the mute out how? Fingers work but=
as my teacher Robert Erlandson said, "Use a tool not your=
fingers" The spring is a thin metal=
wire. Fingers don't work because why? Too=
big. Something thin like a screw driver blade might=
work...but the spring won't stay with the blade. You need=
a groove in the blade to catch and hold the spring. =
How about a thin brass rod from a hardware store and cut a=
groove in the end with a file. Someone mentioned the=
Hart tool...that's what I use, many tools you can make=
yourself. <BR><BR>Really think about the problem and=
come up with a solution...<BR><BR>David Ilvedson<BR><BR><BR>
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Original message<BR>From: Robert Finley <RFINLEY@RCN.COM><BR>To:=
<PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG><BR>Received: Sat, 18 Jun 2005 21:19:47=
-0400<BR>Subject: Need Advice on Baldwin Hamilton Studio=
Upright<BR><BR>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have to tune some=
pianos in the practice studios of a college for a piano=
competition next week, and I encountered a problem with a=
Baldwin Hamilton studio console upright today. During the tuning=
I accidentally dropped a wedge mute into the action, and it=
rested on the hammer butts. When I tried to retrieve it I=
accidentally dislodged the hammer but spring which is a straight=
whisker-like spring that comes down vertically from a rail and=
presses on a felt pad on the hammer butt. It ended up sticking=
out at an angle. I tried to put it back on the felt pad of the=
hammer butt with my fingers, and then displaced an adjacent=
spring. There was no room to maneuver.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Please could someone advise me=
what the best and easiest way would be to put the hammer butt=
springs back in place? I assume there is no tool I could use to=
grasp the springs and put them back in place? Will=
I have to take the action out of the piano to gain access=
to the springs?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I am a learning about piano tuning=
and repair. This is the first problem I have encountered, so it=
should be good practice and experience for me. I am=
concerned though that this is unfamiliar territory. I have to=
fix the piano and complete the tuning tomorrow so that it will=
be ready for the contestants. I have taken a grand piano action=
out before without any problems, but not a vertical one, so I am=
concerned whether something else more serious might=
become dislodged. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I found this Baldwion Hamilton piano=
difficult to work with because there was very little space to=
put a rubber wedge mute or felt temperament strip mute. That is=
why the rubber mute dropped into the action. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Any advice anyone can give me=
will be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.=
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Robert=
Finley</FONT></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>