Harpsichord hitch pin loops

[David M. Porritt]

Fred et al:

I have a loop maker to make bass string style loops (I bought it when
I had to string a Mason & Hamlin "A" with all those single strings in
the treble).  Could that make appropriate loops for the harpsichord
strings?  I need to put on a string in a few days.  The last string I
put on a harpsichord I was not proud of!

dave

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 2/25/2003 at 9:44 AM Fred S. Sturm wrote:

>Jim,
>    On the assumption you are matching double helix loops with a
coil
>finish (the
>most common, looks like bass string hitch loops):
>1) You need a fixed substitute for the hitch pin. A large cup hook
mounted
>to the
>edge of a table works. Or a headless nail held in a vice. Whatever
it is,
>it needs
>to be positioned so that there are no obstructions in front of it
(to
>allow free
>movement of your hands). It should be of a large enough diameter so
that
>the loop
>formed can easily fit over the hitch pin later. (I mostly use a cup
hook
>screwed
>into the end of a dowel. I attach this with a spring clamp to the
edge of
>my cheap,
>metal harpsichord tool/supply case).
>2) Pull the wire around the dummy pin, so that it goes completely
around
>and
>crosses at a right angle. You need enough "waste length" to get a
good
>grip. 6 to
>10 inches should suffice. Hold the wire in that position with one
hand -
>the hand
>that you will use throughout to hold the speaking length. You will
need to
>have
>decided whether the waste length goes over or under based on the
direction
>you want
>to the coils to go (look at one of the loops you are matching).
>3) Take the hand that is not holding the wire, and place it over or
under
>the other
>hand (depending whether the waste length is over or under the
speaking
>length) and
>grab the waste length. Holding the wire taut with both hands, and so
that
>the
>string forms a right angle where it meets, rotate both arms in a
full
>circle around
>one another (easier to show than describe this sort of thing),
keeping the
>wire
>taut and at right angle at all times, so that it actually makes
clear and
>sharp
>bends/coils around itself (each bends around the other). If you have
been
>successful, you should be able to let go with one hand, and the wire
will
>pretty
>much stay put.
>4) Repeat the above as many times as needed to create the number of
coils
>desired.
>Steady, even movement, with wire held taut at all times, and
maintaining
>the 90
>degree angle between wire ends, will allow for even, neat
appearance.
>5) For the finish coil, hold the speaking length of the wire taut
with one
>hand,
>pulling straight toward yourself. With the other hand, pull the
waste
>length of
>wire neatly around the speaking length. It is essential that the
wire be
>held taut
>at all times, and a bit of finesse is needed to start the coil
evenly.
>Again, the
>waste length hand lets go, and is moved around the speaking length
hand to
>grab the
>waste length again. And you make as many tight, even coils as needed
to
>match the
>original.
>6) Cut the wire, leaving a short segment (match originals), which
will
>rest on the
>hitch pin rail to help assure the coils don't unwind. It is
necessary to
>plan so
>that the final direction of that bit of waste length is under the
speaking
>length.
>    A caution - don't overdo tightness of coils. If they are too
tight,
>you will
>have tail breakage. But if they are not tight enough, they'll want
to
>unwind. You
>have to use good judgment here.
>
>Hope this helps. If it is unclear, please say so and I'll try to
explain
>better.
>It's much easier to demonstrate than describe. I'll also note that
if you
>have a
>helper, you can use a dowel with a cuphook in the end. One person
holds
>the wire,
>tautly, at a 90 degree angle, while the other rotates the dowel.
With good
>teamwork, this can be a very successful method of making coils (it's
what
>the
>Hubbard manual suggests). It does require a second person.
>Regards,
>Fred Sturm
>University of New Mexico
>
>
>James A Busby wrote:
>
>> List,
>> Does anyone have a website or instructions, tricks, etc. for
making
>hitch pin
>> loops for harpsichords? My loops are functional, but they don't
look
>uniform and
>> even.  Thanks.
>>
>> (BTW, I know you can buy them premade, but I now have 4
harpsichords 
>and it
>> gets expensive to buy prefabs.)
>>
>> Jim Busby
>> BYU
>>
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_____________________________
David M. Porritt
dporritt@mail.smu.edu
Meadows School of the Arts
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX 75275
_____________________________