Stupid Mistake

[Robin Olson]

   No problem,in twenty two years in the business I have made a 
few.One thing my mentor told me that I will never forget about makeing 
mistakes is this.It's not that craftsmen don't make mistakes,we just 
know how to fix them.
   One of mine was that I dropped my tuning hammer on the fall board 
of a Kimball console.It slipped out of my hand while I was changeing 
tuning pins.It made an 1/8" divot right on the brand new mahogony 
veneered particle board.I showed it to the customer and to my surprise 
she didn't mind and pointed out that it won't be noticed because she 
likes to leave the fall board open.On a Kimball console the front 
panel rests above the fall board.I am the only one who sees my damage 
every time I tune it.It serves a reminder to be carefull around pianos.
   I have broken a couple grand hammers too by hitting a key when 
pulling out the action.Have you done that yet???Zap C+A glue is a 
quick fix for that.             Robin Olson  



----- Original Message -----
From: SUSAN P SWEARINGEN <ssclabr8@flash.net>
Date: Sunday, November 24, 2002 12:15 pm
Subject: Stupid Mistake

> Hi everyone.  I had my first little accident as a piano technician 
> yesterday.  I'm fairly new to the business and this is my first 
> mishap so I'm feeling a little guilty about it.
> 
> Here is what happened.
> 
> After tuning a 3-year old Yamaha U3 upright, I was placing the 
> front board back in place when it slipped out of my hands and 
> crashed into and on top of the piano.  It caused some minor 
> rubbing on the finish but thank goodness it was only on the 
> surface and it buffed out just fine.  The owner was standing 
> nearby when all this happened so it was quite emabarrasing.  I 
> thought everything was ok but the owner called me the next day 
> saying the very left note (A0) was not playing.  She flipped open 
> the top lid and peered in and saw that the A0 hammer was missing, 
> just a broken hammer shank left.
> 
> Of course, I'll be taking care of this little problem at no charge 
> but I feel like such an idiot over the whole thing.
> 
> I think it would be very theraputic to hear a few stories of 
> similar mishaps when you more experienced folk were just starting 
> out.  
> 
> How about it?
> 
> Corte Swearingen