The Art & Science, was RE: Setting tuning pins

[Barbara Richmond]

Hi Ric,

I'll just add that since I took some years off to do the mommy thing, I was
very aware of having to <remember> what my hammer technique really was.
Before my leave, it was so natural and fast, that for years I hadn't thought
about it at all.

When I got back to work, I got hired to tune the S&S D that others claimed
was un-tunable (it's not really un-tunable, just troublesome).  My good
friend, Mr. Bill, quizzed me about what the piano's problems were and what I
was actually doing with that lever.  As usual, his advice was right on the
mark, and it was just what I had been taught earlier, but I had sort of
<forgotten> how important it really was.   (tsk...tsk...how could I admit
that?)  Before my leave, I tuned, I was fast, it worked.  After my leave, I
had to <think> about what I was doing.  Geeze...  :-)   Can't say that I
have my pre-leave speed (which I find annoying), but the control &
stability are there and that's what counts.

I've never considered that the jerk and bump hammer technique might cause
popping pins.  I always thought it had something to do with the
stringing/pinning & original dealing with the pinblock process.  Can't say
I've ever worked on a piano that developed the problem during my tenure of
servicing it--though the longest, uninterrupted stretch of time I'm talking
about would be 14 years.

Dang, I have to get to work...I wish I was done, I need to get ready for
Christmas!  Yikes.

Barbara Richmond, RPT




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ric Brekne" <ricbrek@broadpark.no>
To: "pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 2:23 AM
Subject: The Art & Science, was RE: Setting tuning pins


> Hi Barbara
>
> For what its worth, I also use a kind of  jerking style and find it to be
> the only thing that yields the stability I want. Tho I dont necessarily
> come down from above. Keeping slight pressure on the pin downwards
> (outwards on the grand.. or towards the string) while moving the pin
> apparently counters the need to <<untwist>> or release any tension in the
> pin.  Actually I experience often as not that the pitch will rise a little
> after leaving the pin if it does anything.  One trick I sometimes use to
> check whether got the pin where I want it is to see if equal (slight)
> pressure up and down on the pin changes the pitch from the desired pitch
> in equal amounts.
>
> I agree also on the tuning unisons as I go bit.
>
> All this said, I have begun to speculate in the recent past whether or not
> jerking the pins into place... even with tiny jerks as I use somehow
> contributes to the development of <<popping pins>>  i.e. pins that simply
> will not turn smoothly.  Pure speculation at this point... or perhaps not
> even more then a sneaking suspicion
>
> Cheers
> RicB
>
> Barbara Richmond writes:
>
> OK, another voice.  Smooth pull rarely works for me and has never worked
> for me on a S&S.  The only way to stability for me is the jerk method,
> coming down from above pitch and <good> test blows.  One D I take care of
> in a concert setting has plenty of tuning issues--pins bearing on the
> plate, popping pins, all our favorites, yet the tunings hold up
> beautifully using this technique (knock on wood).  Oh, yes, and tuning
> stability went way up when I switched to tuning unisons as I go.  Someone
> suggested a drop of CA for the popping pins.  I haven't tried it yet.
> Anyone?
>
> Barbara Richmond, RPT
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