Hi, Ryan,
Spot on.
Go to the longest piano that you are likely to service (for most of us,
that's an S&S D), measure the longest length of each given size from the
hitch pin past the tuning pin to whatever normal length you use for
stringing purposes...add a couple of inches for the inevitable
unforeseeable issues. Do the same for each size wire on the box. (I
include all half-sizes, just in case). Cut several lengths for each
size of wire.
I usually carry three lengths of each size, secured by small lengths of
1/4" cloth medical tape...which does not leave the string indelibly
marked...rolled up just small enough to fit into half-gallon Ziploc
freezer bags. The bags are legibly labeled with a wide Sharpie. I
carry them about in a flat leather briefcase I used in another life.
While it's not necessarily a perfect solution, it's easily modifiable
for smaller or larger coils.
While I did try the coil system you've pictured, I found it too slow and
cumbersome to be really useful (for my own work)...but, I was largely
doing concert and recording work, much/most of which doesn't really
allow enough time (anymore) to do much of anything all that well. So, I
found having string lengths that were effectively pre-cut to be highly
valuable. Obviously, YMMV.
I do think that much of the discussion on some of these kinds of things
often does not realize how very individual this work is. What works for
one person, with one clientele, in one (usually very limited) area
simply does not necessarily work for anyone else, anywhere else. Again,
obviously, YMMV.
Kind regards.
Horace
On 10/10/2018 8:01 PM, Ryan Sowers via Piano Technicians Guild wrote:
> Please do not forward this message due to Auto Login.
>
> I think Floyd is pointing me in the right direction!
>
> Ed: I think I wasn't very clear. For each wire size on a piano, there is a maximum length that you are likely to encounter for that wire gauge. If you know that length you can carry one piece of wire of each size and never end up with too short of a piece. This allows you to potentially replace a string without having to go out to the car and get the stringing kit.
>
> I recently purchased the music wire holder from Pianotek that holds 10 sizes of wire on one holder (part D-31). I was hoping to get some info on the lengths of wire that I should carry in it.
>
>
> ------------------------------
> Ryan Sowers
> Olympia WA
> 360-705-4160
> ------------------------------
> -------------------------------------------
> Original Message:
> Sent: 10-10-2018 22:22
> From: Edward McMorrow
> Subject: maximum wire length per note?
>
> Former PTGJ Technical Editor Don Galt, RPT had an axiom that went like this. "All wire breaks at the same length". With bigger diameter wire the tension will rise, and the tension that the wire breaks at will rise, but the percent of break point the wire is placed at when at pitch will be the same. What this means is that the increasing tension of bigger wire also means the tension at the break point is higher but the ratio between tension and break point is constant across the wire sizes.
>
> Now there is a corollary to this that the smaller diameter wires, (12.5 to 15) ??are a little "stronger" than the bigger sizes. So smaller sizes of wire would be less likely to break in the high treble than if it were strung with heavier wire.
>
> ------------------------------
> Edward McMorrow
> Edmonds WA
> 425-299-3431
> ------------------------------
>
> Original Message:
> Sent: 10-10-2018 19:30
> From: Craig Miller
> Subject: maximum wire length per note?
>
> You may be thinking of Joseph Klepac's string gauge chart. It can be found in The Piano-It's Acoustics by W. V. McFerrin, which I think is still available from Schaff.
>
> ------------------------------
> Craig Miller
> Marietta GA
> 770-321-9390
>
> Original Message:
> Sent: 10-10-2018 17:19
> From: Ryan Sowers
> Subject: maximum wire length per note?
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I know I have seen a chart where someone figured out the maximum length of wire for a replacement for each size of wire. I've searched around and haven't been able to track it down. Does anybody have that info?
>
> Thanks!
>
>
> ------------------------------
> Ryan Sowers
> Olympia WA
> 360-705-4160
> ------------------------------
>
>
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Original Message------
I think Floyd is pointing me in the right direction!
Ed: I think I wasn't very clear. For each wire size on a piano, there is a maximum length that you are likely to encounter for that wire gauge. If you know that length you can carry one piece of wire of each size and never end up with too short of a piece. This allows you to potentially replace a string without having to go out to the car and get the stringing kit.
I recently purchased the music wire holder from Pianotek that holds 10 sizes of wire on one holder (part D-31). I was hoping to get some info on the lengths of wire that I should carry in it.
------------------------------
Ryan Sowers
Olympia WA
360-705-4160
------------------------------