shanks and butts...

[Kenneth Jankura]

Take a piece of wood (1" x 1-1/2" x 3/4") as long as a section of the  
action, and rout a slot the height of the catcher (so that the  
catcher fits snugly into the slot). If your router bit is a little  
too big, use masking tape in the slot to make it fit snugly. Fit this  
onto the catchers of the installed butts to keep them perfectly in  
line as you install the shanks. (Tip: If you use a piece of wood that  
is as long as the longest section, you can then cut it shorter for  
each other section.) Shank the section-end butts first, then use a  
straight edge to keep the rest in line. It's not too hard, take your  
time. Good luck.

Ken Jankura RPT
Newville PA


On Nov 10, 2006, at 12:40 PM, Joseph Garrett wrote:

> Big OOPS! (see below) I meant Back Catches NOT Back Checks! (I've  
> always
> gotten those two mixed when talking about them...grrr)
>
> "How much wiggle room?
> Some wiggle room is normal to allow you to align the hammers to the  
> strings
> when you glue them in.
>
> Yeah, right! A far more important alignment is the  
> backchecks....hence the
> "wiggle room". The butts should be installed...then the  
> shanks...wiggle
> them while the glue is setting and get them to align with the original
> backcheck and to have the shanks parallel with the original  
> samples. Think
> in 3 dimensions when doing this job. Once all the shanks/  
> backchecks are in
> the proper alignment,....THEN the hammers are installed .....to the  
> proper
> strike point and the proper "rake"."
>
>
> Joseph Garrett, R.P.T.
> Captain, Tool Police
> Squares R I
>
>