Phil: The method I use is to first pull the entire length of wire you need and cut it off. (As the lengths get longer in the tenor, lay a tape along the stretcher and note on the plate with pieces of tape the speaking lengths every 10 notes or so. That way you can easily measure how much total wire you will need). Put a bend at the halfway point using a pair of roundnose pliers. Put the bend around the hitch pin and secure it with a small spring clamp or visegrips. Pull the ends through the agraffes or capo bar, and secure on the bridge pins. Have a piece of 1/8 - 3/16" d. plastic tubing, one cut to three inches (for three coils) and one four inches (for four coils seen sometimes in the top treble). Slip the tubing over the cut end and slide it down to the plate hole. (Hint: if the wire tends to grab the tubing when you are trying to slide it through, roll the tubing back and forth between your thumb and index finger as you move it down over the wire.) With your right hand (if you are right handed), grip the end of the wire lightly with a pair of wire cutters and pull it taught. With your left hand measure with the tubing from some consistent point (center of the hole in the plate e.g). Squeeze the tubing or flex it slightly so the wire doesn't slip through. Cut off the wire at the end of the tubing. Repeat for the other length. When you have coiled and driven the pins. Pull them up alternately so that you keep the beckets in similar positions. Works for me. David Love >From: "Phil Romano" <romanop@attglobal.net> >Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org >To: <pianotech@ptg.org> >Subject: Aligning beckets >Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 17:41:23 -0400 > >What is the surest way to align all beckets in the optimum position when >restringing? How do you adjust when changing wire gauges? I've strung about >a dozen or so pianos and never get them all where I want them. Three >fingers? Four fingers? Use a jig? All help is appreciated. >Wish I were going to Reno! > >Phil Romano >Myrtle Beach, SC >philromano@attglobal.net _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
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