My First Agraffe Repair

[Isaac Sadigursky]

Congratulations,David! Welcome to the Club of Agraffe Wrestlers! As my
teacher said:It's NOT as complicated as it looks,Its' even MORE SO!but it's
duable,especially,if you have all the right tools.The kit you had assembled
is a must in the field,it helped me many times.Often clients will tell over
the phone that keys are sticky,Hammer is 'HANGING  BETWEEN THE
STRINGS",brocken strings,etc,and all it is is another "ROOT Canal" job .
Regarding difference in sound-tonal qualities:no questions,clean agraffe
holes reduce need to use voicing needles besides the appearance and safety
not to deal with the brocken ones in the nearest future.
I'm still very suspicious and sceptical about using the "Lock-tight".I had
special plugs made from brass,1/2" dia with pre-drilled-pre-tapped holes
for 7/32" and 1/4" agraffes and it works,helped a few collegues when the
threads were badly damaged.And from the top nobody could tell where repair
was done.In Kansas city I'll show those plugs to Herb and Bob
Marinelli,maybe they can manufacture them,it's very simple idea.  See youy
in Kansas City ,
   Best Regards.. Isaac


> [Original Message]
> From: David Vanderhoofven <david@vanderpiano.com>
> To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: 3/17/05 6:09:39 AM
> Subject: Re: My First Agraffe Repair
>
> Thank you, thank you, thank you!
>
> It took more time to assemble the items in my agraffe repair kit than it 
> did to do the actual repair.
>
> The agraffe had broken off at the top of the threaded stem, so I center 
> punched it and used a left handed drill bit turning counter clockwise and 
> the agraffe stem came right out!  I did lose the beckets of the wire, but 
> was able to reuse the bass strings.  Thanks to you guys I can now do this 
> confidently and quickly.  My agraffe repair kit is in a small plastic
tool 
> case, with a combination t-handle, an agraffe turning tool, an assortment 
> of agraffes (single, double, triple) an assortment of left hand drill
bits, 
> an assortment of easy outs, a 1/4" tap wrench, and a tap for both sizes
of 
> agraffe threads, and JB Weld (just in case).
>
> Interestingly, the tone on the unison with the new agraffe is much more 
> pleasant.  The rest of the piano is loud and harsh and terrible, but the 
> unison with the new agraffe actually sounds pretty good.  Perhaps the 
> spacing of the new agraffe holes is different and the strings are now in
a 
> new position on the hammer.  But possibly the old agraffes are so worn
and 
> grooved from string contact that the strings are just buzzing and noisy 
> from poor terminations?
>
> Next time I restring I am seriously going to consider installing new 
> agraffes if it will help the tone.
>
> Happy Saint Patricks Day!
>
> David Vanderhoofven
> Joplin, MO
>
> At 10:05 AM 3/4/2005, you wrote:
> >What a coincidence!  My first tuning of the day, and there is a broken 
> >agraffe in the bass (Kimball microgrand).  This will be a first for me. 
I 
> >never thought I would need to use this information, but I am ready to do 
> >this repair, thanks to all of you on the list.  I have printed out all
the 
> >recent information about broken agraffe removal and replacement and am
in 
> >the midst of putting together an agraffe replacement kit.
> >
> >This list is a blessing, and you guys are great!  I will keep you posted.
> >
> >Thanks!
> >David Vanderhoofven
> >Joplin, MO