Tuning lever length

[AlliedPianoCraft]

Dean, I also become a jerk when I encounter tight pins and a Steinway K. My hammer/Lever is 11"

Al Guecia


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dean May" <deanmay at pianorebuilders.com>
To: "'Pianotech List'" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2008 8:11 AM
Subject: RE: Tuning lever length


> Now here Bruce went to a great deal of trouble to start a new thread with a
> proper label on tuning lever length and it has been shanghaied into a
> discussion on jerks and smoothies. 
> 
> Since I wasn't trained as an apprentice but am mostly self taught, I've had
> to develop a technique that worked for me. Don't get me wrong, I've gotten
> lots of help along the way from some great people. I did attend a tuning
> seminar put on by the Lexington PTG chapter in the mid 80's and I have
> gotten input from other tuners I respect over the years. 
> 
> I find that my technique is very similar to Jon's below and Terry Farrell's
> methods. I like to feel the pin move and if I am impacting it with the
> hammer I can't feel it, I have to rely on memory muscle that a certain
> impact will produce a given change for a given tightness of pin. Now when
> faced with overly tight pins I am sometimes forced to move towards slapping
> the pin with my hammer or impacting it. Then I'm a jerk.
> 
> Dean
> 
> Dean May             cell 812.239.3359 
> 
> PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 
> 
> Terre Haute IN  47802
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
> Of Jon Page
> Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2008 7:30 AM
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Subject: Tuning lever length
> 
> I'm a smooth-pull tuner, applying slight impact only when appropriate.
> I feel the torque of the pin and overpull accordingly and make a
> diminishing series of + & - motions to set the pin and string with
> a final slight + motion to keep the front section of string length
> at a minutely higher tension than on the speaking length side
> of the counter bearing friction.  A lower tension on this forward
> string segment would be more apt to allow this lower tension to
> creep across the counter bearing making for a less stable tuning,
> a final + lilt (nudging pin torque) braces the string better.
> 
> As with moving or lifting a piano, apply force and increase effort
> until the desired motion is achieved, don't heave your body into it.
> 
> I carry two stationary levers 9.5" & 11.5" and a Hale 10.5" with
> interchangeable heads for strut clearance. Which one I'll use
> depends on pin torque and clearance issues. For concert work
> I prefer the 9.5".
> -- 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Jon Page
> 
>
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