Date: Sun, 3 Feb 2002 20:24:46 -0600
Subject: Re: PUPT: Piano wire and hints on use.


Having been a piano technician for some 23 years in another life, I
couldn't help at least throwing in a couple of thoughts here...........

I've restrung numerous pianos over the years and have bent a lot of piano
wire in the process (more than 200 strings per piano!). I would agree
that it does not break from being bent (unless the wire has a nick in
it). So make sure the jaws of your vise or other bending tools, aren't
sharp anywhere. Piano wire is routinely coiled around small tuning pins
(3 or 4 coils around a 1/4" diameter round pin), as well as bent around
3/16" diameter 'hitch pins' at the other end of the piano, all with no
heating or the like. There's tricks for doing that (that work on the same
principle of commercial wire bending tools). 

I would also agree that it is best not to pound it with a hammer.
Mechanically bending it (getting a mechanical advantage over it and just
bending it into shape) is best. 

Any type of cutters used for piano wire need to be case hardened. The
cutters that piano technicians order from the piano supply houses, are
all case hardened. You can use ordinary cutters, and you may get away
with it for awhile, but you will notice the cutting edge of the cutters
will start to dent (piano wire is hard stuff! <G>), and can eventually
break the cutters (better be wearing safety glasses when that happens).
So if you're going to do a fair amount of cutting, I'd get the right kind
of cutters. If you can, before doing any bending work, dull the edge of
the cut piano wire (Dremel grinding bit of some sort). It can be VERY
sharp!!  If it gets away from you (it is very springy), you may need
stitches!  Most piano techs draw some blood during the restringing
process (after cutting some 200 wires, one of them will get you! <G>)  

With practice, piano wire can be bent quite skillfully. One of the things
the Piano Technicians Guild tests you on is tying a 'granny knot' in two
pieces of piano wire. I've tied quite a few of them (useful for splicing
broken bass strings particularly) over the years, and when you look at
one you would wonder how on earth the piano tuner ever tied such a small
knot with such a formidable material. You just have to be a little
smarter than the wire is!!! <G>

I think the basic ideas Christopher put forth here can work quite well.

Cheers,

Mike Brose
http://puppetsnprops.homestead.com/home.html


On Sat, 02 Feb 2002 22:00:33 -0500 heyhoot-AT-mindspring.com writes:
> puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu wrote:

>   Good info from Jim, as usual. However, I would like to point out 
> that, ideally (like we all work in ideal conditions) one should not 
> bang or pound on a vise. Most vises have a small anvil section to 
> the back of the clamping section that is safe to pound on. 
>   I personally have not had piano wire break when bent, 
> regardless of the thickness, but I don't pound it to bend it. Don't 
> know if that makes the difference or not. Or maybe I don't use it 
> as much as Jim. At any rate, I find it better to clamp it and then 
> bend it to the angle or shape needed. If you want a loop that is 
> fairly true (round, as opposed to oval or some other shape) 
> clamp it to a dowel or metal rod somewhat smaller than the 
> circle you want and bend it around the dowel/rod. After a little 
> practice you'll be able to anticipate how much it will spring back 
> and know how much to overbend to compensate. 
>   As for cutting it, someone ( I think it was Joe D.) recommended 
> a dremel and cut off tool. This would work fine but a good pair of 
> lineman's pliars will work with most of the sizes the  average 
> puppeteer would work with. You do end up with that not smooth 
> end though. If that is a problem for the application, you're 
> probably better off with a dremel.
> Christopher
>   
> 
> 
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