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Punching Organizer

  • 1.  Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-18-2018 16:56
    Hi folks,

    I'm wondering if anyone has come up with a great system for organizing all those paper and cardboard punchings.

    Seems that a box would need to have ten compartments, one for each of the five cardboard and paper sizes, and you would need two boxes total, one for balance and one for front rail punchings.  So far I've been just keeping all the ripped bags in a box and pulling them all out and spreading on a surface, but thinking there might be a better way. 

    I'm off do to my own research and will post here if I find something that works.  Specific links or product names would be great!

    Thanks...on the level,

    Nick

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    Nicholas Litterski, RPT
    Austin TX
    512-573-8920
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  • 2.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-18-2018 18:33

    In sporting goods, find a small lure box.  I cut a small sheet of thin plastic shipping wrap

    to fit the inside the lid of mine, to keep the contents from mixing.  It sealed it up nicely.

    Ruth Zeiner






  • 3.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Posted 06-18-2018 19:46
    You only need one container for the small punchings. Bal: 2,3,5,10,20;  Fr: 3,5,10,20.  The larger sizes can be kept better in their bags and you won't be using them in the same capacity as the small ones. Only having one container reduces chances of spills.  When that happens, just place the spilled contents into a ZipLock bag to keep in your case for field spot leveling. DAMHIK.

    Larger sizes: 30, 45, 60.  The in-between sizes are superfluous. You can simply use a combo with smaller ones.
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    Regards,

    Jon Page
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  • 4.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-18-2018 23:41
    i'm sure Jon is correct, and probably more efficient, but here's what I've been (happily) using for quite some time:

    link is posted below.  I use the larger, bottom divisions for the front rail punchings and the smaller, lid compartments for the balance paper.  There are extra sections that I use for an assortment of other key leveling accessories. 

    Akro-Mils Portable Organizers | Compartment Boxes | 64 Compartments | Clear Lid | 61118

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    David Skolnik [RPT]
    Hastings-on-Hudson NY
    914-231-7565
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  • 5.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-19-2018 02:56
    Interesting, David.

    I use a simple plastic box, but I put a sheet of plastic in the lid to help keep the punchings from wandering into the wrong compartments.

    Inside it is the punching lifter Ted Sambell sent me, made from a brass tail plate used with ivory clamps. It is simple but very effective, better than the supply house version.

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    Susan Kline
    Philomath, Oregon
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  • 6.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Posted 06-19-2018 16:54
    I've had this tray since the '70's. The top is held together with packing tape and is secured with rubber bands to the tray.



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    Regards,

    Jon Page
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  • 7.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-19-2018 10:02
    Why organize?  After I spilled my punchings a few times I realized that I know the colors of the sizes, so even if they're mixed up in one bag I don't have a problem picking out what I want. The thicker punchings can't be mixed up, however. But they can be kept in their respect plastic bags.

    Richard West





  • 8.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-19-2018 10:05
    An equal case can be made for efficiency of movement and OCD imperatives.

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    David Skolnik [RPT]
    Hastings-on-Hudson NY
    914-231-7565
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  • 9.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-19-2018 11:14
    I use one of these for BR, another for FR.  Take out some of the dividers so each size punching gets its own double-width cubby.

    https://akro-mils.com/Products/Types/Portable-Small-Parts-Storage/Portable-Organizers/Storage-Case-05705

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    Zeno Wood
    Brooklyn, NY
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  • 10.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-20-2018 21:57
    This brand is very impressive, Zeno. After my stuff was stolen, I spent some time searching locally and found some pretty nice ones at Cabellas. One of my big goal was to GO SMALL!
    I just put one of those blue shop (thick) work towels (cut to fit) - or similar on top of the sections to keep the punchings from slipping through. I'm loving small & light! 
    Jumbo size is great in the shop though.

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    [Kevin] [Fortenberry] [RPT]
    [Staff Techician]
    [Texas Tech Univ]
    [Lubbock] [TX]
    [8067783962]
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  • 11.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-21-2018 15:20
    The brand makes good trays.  The lid has matching forms to meet the dividers so no modifications are necessary to prevent the punchings from migrating.  

    I also decided to go small, partly because it's easier to pack smaller trays, but also because when (not "if") you spill the tray, a smaller tray will spill a smaller number of punchings.

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    Zeno Wood
    Brooklyn, NY
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  • 12.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-19-2018 22:13
    Plano makes a wide variety of plastic boxes with dividers. Look in the sporting good section, fishermen use them. Make sure to glue the dividers down or punchings will be sliding under the dividers.

    Sheffey Gregory, RPT






  • 13.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-20-2018 13:58
    I have used a plastic compartment box from a sporting goods store for many years.

    I have found it very useful to glue a sheet of thin felt (name board felt) to the inside top lid to keep the punchings from migrating out of their separate compartments.

    When the inevitable shop accident happens and I get a pile of mixed punchings they go into a small box in my tool kit.  For field work I can pick through the punchings by color.

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    Blaine Hebert
    Duarte CA
    626-795-5170
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  • 14.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-21-2018 10:18
    Thanks everyone for responding, all these answers have been very helpful. What an amazing community is growing up here!

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    Nicholas Litterski, RPT
    Austin TX
    512-573-8920
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  • 15.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Member
    Posted 06-22-2018 07:40
    When I first started tuning, I bought a parts cabinet from one of the supply houses that has a door on the front that closes and latches to keep the drawers from coming out while it is carried. I then string the punchings onto pipe cleaners and mark the size on the end punching. The drawers are also marked with the size so they always go back to the same place. Extra punchings that don't fit in the cabinet are put on pipe cleaners for storage in the shop. Haven't had a spill of many punchings in 30 years, only the few that are off the pipe cleaner waiting to be used.  Easy to keep the work area clean by taking off only as many punchings as needed while leveling, and there are always more punchings close at hand and under control to replenish what are on the bench. No waste from bending punchings while picking them out of a tray of loose punchings. 





  • 16.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-22-2018 05:42
    Nick,

    We recently "took it to the next level" in the realm of center pin and paper punching storage, with an idea that came my way from Neema Pazargad (who got it form Don Mannino, RPT, at a Kawai seminar). There are some inexpensive storage containers, available at many hobby stores, which seem to have been made with center pins and paper punchings in mind (even though they weren't!). 

     

    One of them has a release that slides sideways, allowing access to any or all of the individual compartments, but highly unlikely to unlock except when you want it to. One "feature" where our usage is concerned is the curved slope side of each compartment, making it easy to put your finger on a single center pin or paper punching and slide it up the side for easy removal. (Which is easier than grabbing the object with one's fingers and lifting it out.) Also relevant to our usage is the fact that, when closed, center pins and paper punchings cannot migrate from their particular compartment to a neighboring one, without the aid of any kind of shim, even if you turn it upside-down and shake it.

     

    Another option is an item with similar features, which appears to be made by the same company. This is a "pills for the day" type of container. The advantage of this version is that each compartment opens independently of the others. This can be a definite plus, and is not a problem if the container is kept on a shelf, or stored neatly in a box. If, however, it is amidst a jumble of other stuff, the compartments can open when their individual tabs come into contact with other objects. Ask me how I know! (At least paper punchings are color-coded. Center pins require extensive measurement with a caliper, preferably done by an assistant!)

     

    We used to use one of those larger units with many more compartments, and a shim, to hold all of the various paper and cardboard keypin punchings. However, we find it handier to use these smaller containers, made possible by segregating out the punchings (balance from front punchings, and "American" punchings from those for Yamahas and others).

    Alan



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    Alan Eder, RPT
    Herb Alpert School of Music
    California Institute of the Arts
    Valencia, CA
    661.904.6483
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  • 17.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Member
    Posted 06-22-2018 11:42
    you can use empty prescription bottles or purchase clear plastic containers with screw on lids. for center pins i use the old canisters that camera film came in. i do not keep anything in the original envelopes because moisture and humidity can effect the paper and card board. .
    to help with selecting the right sizes write the size on a sample and glue or tape it to the container. also good to have containers for the small felt punchings used on the balance rail pins.

    some watch and camera repair parts web sites will give you good ideas

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    James Kelly
    Pawleys Island SC
    843-325-4357
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  • 18.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-23-2018 14:54

    I originally started with a tackle box but found the punchings would migrate from one compartment to another.  I now use a bead organizer (or bead box) that I got various sizes off Amazon.  Not only are the compartments adjustable in size, I find even the smallest punchings stay in place.





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    Jim Fariss, RPT
    Black Forest Piano
    Black Forest, Colorado
    (719) 425-8845
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  • 19.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-23-2018 15:39
    A bead box! What a neat idea. I would never have thought of that.

    I think I'll get one to replace the smaller of my two punching boxes, the one which stays in the car.

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    Susan Kline
    Philomath, Oregon
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  • 20.  RE: Punching Organizer

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-24-2018 18:44
      |   view attached
    One thing I'll recommend is that the container's compartments have rounded bottoms. Makes it MUCH easier to get that last punching or center pin out. I'll include a photo of mine, but I don't know the maker or model.

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    Scott Cole
    Talent OR
    541-601-9033
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