Harpsichord Coils with no becket hole

Conrad Hoffsommer hoffsoco@martin.luther.edu
Wed, 09 Feb 2000 13:15:29 -0600


At 13:20 02/09/2000 +0000, you wrote:
>Hello Friends,
>     I forgot again!  How does one make those string coils for the
>tapered tuning pins with no becket hole?  I learned this twice but never
>remember when the awful event happens as i don't do it often enough.
>
>thanks in advance,
>-Mike

Easier to show in person, but...

I assume you already have the other end on the hitchpin and the string is
cut to your favourite length.

Make a loose "becket" about 25mm in length. Place leg of becket along the
pin with the kink at the top of where you want your windings to start.
While holding pin & wire in left hand , put tuning pin into tuning
hammer/wrench and start winding the string down over the becket part. (i.e.
cross over immediately on first turn)    After a few turns you should be
able to put enough tension on the string to just be able to twirl the
winding on without holding your thumb on the becket tail. Keep your coils
neat and tight at least at the top.  Lower down you may want to spread them
out to adjust the downbearing.

When you have wound it so that the pin is over the hole, (or earlier if you
wish) work the excess tail until it breaks off , and while keeping pin in
tuning wrench and keeping tension just push it in the hole.  As you are
lowering it, you can feed string past jacks and dampers and place on the
proper side of the nut pin.   Push firmly enough to hold it until you
immediately tap it in tighter.  

Check to see that string is still in proper position on bridge. If not,
there is not enough tension on it to keep you from moving it to the right
place with your fingers.  (and remember the backpinning)

Start bringing it up to pitch.  You will probably have to retap the pin a
couple times before it's at pitch.

Clear as mud?

Good luck!!

Conrad


Conrad Hoffsommer - Music Technician -mailto:hoffsoco@luther.edu
Luther College			-(319)-387-1204
Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045

The man that hath no music in himself,  
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, 
Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils;  
The motions of his spirit are dull as night, 
And his affections dark as Erebus.   
Let no such man be trusted. 	
---Wm. Shakespeare - Merchant of Venice



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