Dear Ralph, I think we may be talking about similar but not identical tools. Mine has the sliding weight, but the business end has a little lip, like Warren describes, instead of a fork. At the time I had it made, the machinist complained that it was very hard to make and temper, with the little lip, which could explain why the supply house one didn't hold up. Where did you get yours? I've never seen one with a fork. I didn't need to grind down the bottom part of the Sciortino Insta*Coiler, but then, as I said, I left the pins a shade high. Not needing to scratch up the finish on the plate might be another benefit of waiting for the final pin levelling. My trouble with the Sciortino tool was that wherever I started, I kept having to move the handle to avoid running into the plate. I fixed that by getting a ring made with four threaded holes, held on by a set screw, so I could move the handle without loosening the ring each time. I'm also still in the process of making a shorter handle. I don't think one really needs as much leverage as the long one gives, and it certainly can be cumbersome at the ends of sections. Nothing to keep one from trading back and forth between handles, if one has both lengths. You don't need to apologize for your commentary after jamming your finger: I thought it was very original. <g> Regards, Susan P.S. I got the "slide hammer" name from an upmarket auto mechanic who seemed to know what he was saying. The "impact coil lifter" no doubt is more correct inside pianodom. -------------------------------------------- At 10:06 PM 6/16/97 EDT, Ralph wrote: >Susan > >I found that I had to grind down part of the bottom of the Insta Coil. It >would ground out on the plate. Did yours do that as well? > >If you heard my words when I jammed my finger...I sincerely apologize. >Hope I don't jam another. I really can't spare the blood. > >regards > >Ralph Martin ------------------------------------------------------- >On Mon, 16 Jun 1997 17:50:57 -0700 (PDT) Susan Kline <skline@proaxis.com> >writes: >>Dear Ralph, >> >>I believe I've heard the name for that gadget is a slide hammer. >> >>Its effect on a finger is the same as a regular hammer's. >> >>I heard your words loud and clear -- thought they were an echo from a >>certain departed list member ... >> >>Regards, >> >>Susan >> >>--------------------------------------------------------------- >>Ralph Martin wrote: >>>I think I remember you saying that you are using the Insta Coiler as >>>well. I invested in a plier type tool from Utah for coil tightening >>but >>>didn't have much success with it . I've since gone to the weight >>type. >>>The type where you tuck the fork under the coil and slide a weight >>up. >>>Works very well except the time last month when one of my fingers got >>>between the weight and the stop. My pure, white virginal Irish finger >>still >>>has the blood blister. You probably heard my words even where you >>live. --------------------------------------------------------- Susan Kline P.O. Box 1651 Philomath, OR 97370 skline@proaxis.com "My great ambition is to build something that will last, at least until I've finished building it." -- Ashleigh Brilliant
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