Sciortino Coil Maker

[Susan Kline]

List --

I go away for just one week ... <grin>

I haven't looked at the last few days of the archive ... it seems
that maybe I shouldn't! I don't really know what bickering 
has to do with the Sciortino tool, but here is my take on the
questions that Gordon quoted:


> That would be a curious advantage to tout in the Sciortino 
> literature as I know of no one who makes a 90 degree bend in the 
> wire before he/she installs it.  My tuning hammer automatically 
> makes a becket with or without the Sciortino tool.  What the 
> tool does do is make the becket and coil pretty easy without the 
> usual discomfort to the fingers of holding the wire against the 
> pin while turning the pin.  I did use the tool at one time (I 
> lost a part) but didn't always get a perfect coil.  It seems 
> that sometimes it coiled on top of tuning pin hole.  I'm sure I 
> had it set incorrectly and someone will explain what the problem 
> was.  

I like the Sciortino tool, and I think I can explain what may be
happening when the coil reverses itself. 

The tuning pin for the wire is first prepared by turning it out 
three turns (plus a bit for luck), to give the coil room without 
it ending up too close to the plate. 

The tool is then fitted over the top, the hook engages the wire 
that has been (tastefully) put _just_ far enough into the hole 
that a tiny piece of it emerges on the other side (just far 
enough that when the coil is complete the end will be exactly 
flush with the edge of the pin) and ... (pause for breath) ... 
the tool will then make a perfect bend for the becket, much 
squarer and tighter than our squishy fingers, especially on the 
larger sizes of wire. In fact, when all goes well, I've seen 
many beckets actually pull _themselves_ _into_ the tuning pin 
as the wire is pulled up, and found that when I then squeezed 
the becket with pliers the pitch didn't change! 

As the coil is being made, the tool is progressing downwards
toward the plate, winding on turns of wire. If (by any chance) 
anything interferes with its downward progress, the only place 
for the wire to go is on top of itself, and the coil reverses. 
The double-thickness coil can then jam inside the tool, as well. 

Usually, I've found that when the coil reverses, the strings
that were put on before are too tight, and the room for the 
tool too narrow, so the tool hangs up on a previous string.
I leave the previous strings looser than I usually would.
Not downright sloppy, but with plenty of give. 

If the tuning pin hasn't been turned out far enough, the 
tool will be too close to the plate, and might bear on it,
gouging the paint and reversing the coil. The tool extends 
roughly 1/8" below the coil, so it needs that much space 
above the plate.

Hoping there is nothing bicker-worthy here ...

Susan



Susan Kline
P.O. Box 1651
Philomath, OR 97370
skline@proaxis.com

"Getting there is only half as far as getting there and back."
			-- Ashleigh Brilliant